phantasmalrift | DUNGEON LOG: KEYSTONE REEF

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!dungeon

DUNGEON LOG: KEYSTONE REEF

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.

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Setting Off
CW: nerd

[ He can say, without a doubt, that "spicy enough to kill a man" venison curry and cookie combo is something he can appreciate the hell out of. The fact that it was made with such consideration? Well, he can't help the smile he gives when he sees it, even if... there's something a bit distant within it. The last time someone did this for him... mmm...

Anyway, he isn't going to let his memories taint this kind gesture!!! So he does take the time to go and personally thank Marla for this.

It's after that, he can be seen doing what he can to help everyone get ready to set out. ]

Got everything you need?

Gettin' Smooched
CW: it smooch, it mooch; giggly... Akira

[ Akira's enjoying the hell out of his half-fish form. Almost his entire upper body is pretty much seemingly human; the gills behind his ears, as well as the shimmery blend of red and black scales around his eyes, are the notable differences. His lower half is all tail. The scales are mostly black, but with some dark red specks throughout.

It's as he's just getting used to maneuvering with this new form, he finds things taking a turn for... adorable??? He... can't believe he can now say he's been kissed by a literal fish...

... Or that would be a concern if not for the fact that he was kissed by several of them, and is now feeling much happier and much more giddy than he's felt in... ever. After all, it wasn't until he felt a tiny bit of pain, he simply... laughed it off and switched his Persona to one that reflects physical damage. Which apparently was enough to dissuade the fishies from continuing to try...

Well, no matter! He's sure he'll see more of those cute little guys again, soon.

For anyone who comes across him, they're going to get to enjoy the sight of Akira swimming in large circles. As soon as he spots someone, no matter who it is, he's going to swim right on up to them. And then he's just going to... boop them right on the nose with a huge grin.

And then starting snickering like it's the funniest goddamn thing ever. ]

General Exploration
CW: spoops; gentle noms

[ During a time that isn't him giggling like mad, he can be seen checking out the Trivesta. He's looking for anything that can be considered treasure, honestly... The ghost-like things aren't 100% settling, but he supposes it could be worse. At some point, he can be found staring one down in curiosity. He's going to be. Playing with the flashlight on his cell phone, enjoying how they vanish and reappear....

And, at some point later on (once he's back out in the water), he can be found getting followed around by one of the panther sharks. Occasionally, it tries to bite his hair or shoulder; fortunately, Satanael ensures that it doesn't actually do any damage. Whenever he's taking a break from exploring, he can be seen actually wrestling with the thing... ]

Edited 2018-06-01 09:44 (UTC)

I got my flippy floppies~ (Before heading in; your pick of cat or mascot form)
[Morgana is prowling around the preparation area, getting ready to head out into the Fissure proper. Naturally, he doesn't need to take a first aid kit or anything like that..... but he is examining the life jackets with an intensely dubious look on his face. These are all sized for normal humans, not..... literal cats or tiny mascots.....]

I'm not gonna need one of these, am I?

[At least he's small enough that he'll hardly take up any room on a boat at all. Would you like to hold him on your lap for the journey?]

Trivesta (Earlier in the dungeon; your pick of cat or mascot form)
[Oh boy..... whatever this thing used to be used for, it's big. Really big. Even the gash torn in the hull is easily person-sized..... it's probably not even the damage that sunk the thing, either, with it resting like this. (For a certain value of "sunk".)

It's a bit of a spooky sight, honestly; from out here, nothing but darkness is visible through this entry point. He's sure he'll be fine, with his feline night vision, but..... Morgana glances at his companion.]

Are you sure you'll be okay in there? Do we need to get a light?

Fast Food (Whenever)
[If there's one thing for sure, it's that this Fissure is kitty heaven at meal times. Who needs to drain the expedition's supplies when you're built to eat raw meat? It's like an all you can eat buffet around here--the only catch is catching it yourself!

Once he's mastered the art of swimming with a butterfly catfish tail, Morgana is having a whale of a time dashing through the water, satisfying his urge to be a mighty hunter. ~~Especially since he's satisfying it on something more substantial than feathers, string, or laser pointers. Dammit, Akira.....~~

If you find him after the kill, you may find him purring away as he eats, either sprawled on a rocky outcropping or underwater, completely content with the blood tinting the water around him. (Even later after, you may find him diligently grooming himself clean, even if the water should theoretically be enough.) If you find him during the chase, you'll hear the peculiar excited hunting chatter that all housecats seem to make when they've found something they're intent on murdering. Careful not to get plowed into!]

Coral Graveyard (Whenever)
[It didn't take long at all for Morgana to figure out how to swim in this new shape--given that he has a different way of moving in literally every single form he has, it seems he has something of a knack for adapting easily to having a different body. For a bit, he's content to practice, doing energetic flips and long, graceful gliding loops, enjoying the freedom of movement that the water brings. Care to join him in learning to swim or playing around?

Once he's had his fill of that, though, there's one thing on his mind: booty. Treasure. Cold, hard cash! Sunken shipwrecks are sure to be a gold mine of that, right? Morgana circles one of the more broken down, rotted wooden ships, eagerly examining the state of the shattered hull to look for entry points. Of course, exploration and treasure hunting aren't nearly as much fun alone, are they?]

Nyahaha, where do you think the cargo hold was on this baby? Let's get to work!

Wildcard
[Toss a scenario at me, whatever you want!]

TDM continuations!
[If I threaded with you on the TDM, feel free to continue it here for some sweet, sweet points.]

Edited 2018-06-01 10:32 (UTC)

[ She really hadn't completely intended for this to be a thing but a part of her was really too curious to ignore this. There were all kinds of different things that could be explored under the water instead of on land so despite all her hesitations, she decided to go underwater with some reluctance.

Once underwater, the surprise came once her body actually changed. It wasn't hugely drastic but she now bore a cute little axolotl tail, and a distinctive pair of gills sticking out from her head. All colored a darker green that tapered off into a lighter hue. She'd taken her shoes off but was still in her usual tanktop and pants that she usually wore around the station, having remembered to remove her phone and earphones before she came down here.

It was when she came across Akira swimming in circles that she couldn't help but blink a couple of times and raise an eyebrow. She'd gotten off easy with the features she HAD received, but he was full on lower-half fish now. Futaba opened her mouth to ask him why he was doing that, but was stopped short when he swam up and... o h.

That happened. ]

Uh... Are you feeling okay? You're strangely giggly right now.

[ Which really isn't like Akira to start with. Maybe it was something to do with the odd fish swimming about that she'd passed on the way here. ]

[Well, the Kanatee has a perfectly boopable nose, so!]

Oh my! You're in a good mood, Kurusu-san!

How many shrimps do you have to eat before you make your skin turn pink? (Setting off/Early Dungeon)

[Of course Astolfo opted for swimming there instead of catching a boat. The ocean was so bright and blue and inviting, he didn't even need the excuse to dive in. With great excitement and speed, he runs in, stripped down to the bathing suit he'd often taken into the station's hot tub.

It's a pleasant swim, and one that is spent completely under the waves, enjoying the sensation of being completely submerged, light from the surface filtering around him. As he crosses the threshold into the Fissure...he begins to feel himself changing. Light pink scales begin to creep up his legs and forearms, and in a few quick blinks of disbelief he finds himself outfitted with a rather fanciful tail, fingers webbed in a similar manner, gill slits underlining his ribcage.]

Woah!

[He studies himself in awe, clumsily flopping around as he tries to adjust to maneuvering in his new form. He adapts to it rather quickly, perhaps in some strange application of his riding skills, and can soon be found dashing around excitedly.]

Coral Graveyard (Whenever)

[When it comes to exploration and adventure, sunken shipwrecks are really kind of the dream, and it's one that he didn't get to experience during his mortal life.

Astolfo swims around the wreckages, following fish as they dart around and make their home in the ruins, exploring every room and crevice that he can fit himself into, seeking both treasure and just examining the ships themselves. The variety between them sparks his curiosity, wondering what kind of times and worlds they might have come from.]

I'm a shark fighter, toughest man in the sea! (Whenever)

[Anyone that's known him for the slightest amount of time won't find themselves surprised seeing Astolfo grappling with a Panther Shark.

He doesn't seem to be distressed at all with the creature chomping at his forearms, pink scales flaking off with each bite. In fact, he almost looks like he's laughing...]

I. Sunny with a chance of fish

[Undyne is pretty well-suited for this dungeon, being an amphibious aquatic creature already. The magic of the water doesn't appear to change her at all, apparently recognizing that she's already perfectly capable of breathing seawater without any extra help. All she has to do is leave her shoes and outer clothing back at the Station and she's good to go, swimming around in the bathing suit she normally wears in place of a shirt.]

[Moving from land to water and back again isn't a problem for her, and she walks up onto one of the more distant sandbars with an air of curiosity, determined to explore and see everything this place has to offer.]

[But maybe while she was looking around, she should have remembered to look up. One rather unfortunate helios fish appears to have drifted a little too close to the small patch of land she's standing on, a fact that Undyne doesn't notice until the unlucky creature's ability to float cuts out, dropping it directly onto her head with a loud, wet slap.]

What the-?!

II. Fish are friends, not food.

[Sharks, the terrifying apex predators of the sea. Few things are more dangerous, so one can imagine the horror of seeing this fish woman getting mobbed by a group of- wait, is she laughing?]

[Anyone feeling brave and/or inedible enough to examine the small group of excited panther sharks crowded around one particular spot in the coral graveyard will discover that Undyne is, indeed, laughing gleefully as she wrestles one to the seafloor, only to jump off and pounce on another.]

[Both she and the sharks seem to be having a wonderful time, giving the overall impression of a litter of excitable puppies play-fighting with each other... just with much sharper teeth. Undyne moves with smooth grace in the water, just as skilled a fighter as she is on land, gently batting one sharp-fanged mouth away before it can close on her arm and pivoting swiftly to grab the shark around the middle and bring it down to the sand in an honest-to-God suplex.]

[This is honestly the most fun she's had in ages.]

III. Mind the Gap

[There's something eerily silent about the deep crevasse, almost too still and quiet compared to the lively aquatic ecosystem further up in the sunlit waters. But even here, there is life.]

[Undyne moves smoothly through the deep water, unbothered by the crushing pressure and lack of light, pausing occasionally to examine the dark crystals and strange creatures around her.]

[Unless your night vision is very good, odds are the first you'll see of her is a single point of pale green, her one remaining eye glowing faintly in the dark. It makes for a rather ominous image, if you don't know what's really there. Hopefully you're not the type to attack first and ask questions later...]

Option 1: Awkward octopus shuffle/generic catchall

[To say that everyone in the dungeon has wound up half fish isn't quite true. It's disproven by Izunia, who has rather more legs than he usually does, specifically eight of them, very vibrantly reddish-orange, covered in suckers along the underside. He's also got a line of gills along the lower part of his ribs, some orange patches over his arms and shoulders, and what seems to be another set of gill openings at his hips, these distinctly more octopus-like than fish.

For all that, though, he seems to be having fun, though octopus shuffling isn't the most effective way of getting around and he's quickly reduced to warping to get anywhere at speed.

At least, even with the scarf gone, you can pick him out from Ardyn by the tattoo on his bare chest (and the lack of scars), a series of black ink cracks with a small flock of crows flying from them. Given the placement, the effect comes off as "a broken heart underneath with crows flying out" which, given how dramatic he tends to be, is probably exactly the intended meaning.
You can also potentially catch him making use of the waterproofness of the android-issued phones to take pictures of the reef. His actual photography skills aren't that great, though his composition's pretty good. Lighting? Maybe not so much.]

Option 2: Naptopus [Shallows/Graveyard, whenever]

[What's that poking out of that crevice? It doesn't look like an eel... Then it twitches and, ah, that's an octopus tentacle. From a very large octopus.

Yeah, you'd better believe that Izunia has crammed himself into some weird corner for one of his usual naps. Is anyone really surprised by this? Zzzz.]

Option 3: CRABLEGS

[There's only one appropriate reaction to giant crabs, when you're a native of Eos who is currently half a creature whose diet is primarily crab.

Lunch.

Thus, those adventuring in the Coral Graveyard can find Izunia taking a little time out of his day to investigate the shipwrecks with a particular goal in mind, and that goal is collecting quite a pile of crab legs, which he can later be found boiling in the branches of some of the bright red coral not too far away.

Once that's done, he actually pops up to the surface to eat, so that the melted butter he's got set up for dipping doesn't just vanish into the sea. Any passing friendly boat might also get waved down with an offer of lunch.]

Option 4: Of the dark and darkened things

[When it comes to the Gap, however...

Here is a region that Izunia seems somewhat less willing to explore. He's perched instead on the edge overlooking the crevasse, tentacles spread around him in the sand of the seabed. Even though it's still daylight and he's on a part of the reef still shallow enough to get sunlight filtering from the surface, there's a glowing orb of blue-white next to him, drifting over one tentacle as he nervously extends it down over the edge.

His mutter carries probably farther than he means it to, given the way water transmits sound - ]

I really do hate the dark.

Human eyesight is terrible.

[Ardyn didn't seem remotely bothered by drifting lazily over the edge, squinting into the dark.]

Haven't quite gotten used to that one yet.

You know, that's really not the problem I'm having.

[His floating light turns briefly very, very red, and seems to "bounce" over to boop Ardyn in the face before returning to Izunia and turning blue again.]

[Astolfo's not the only one looking for sunken treasure. There's another merman down here, flitting between rooms excitedly. So excitedly, in fact, that he's not really paying attention to his surroundings like he should...careful, Astolfo, he's headed your way, but looking in a different direction.]

Tamagotchi
[Now here's something you don't see every day: a man in his fifties, using a stylus to operate what looks to be a small electrical device in the shape of an egg. Those familiar may recognize it as a Tamagotchi.

He is trying to be discreet about using it, at least, by having his back turned to most of the others while he tends to it, though the cheerful beeping it makes at him is rather damning. Nothing to see here, he's just uh, checking something on his device...

... don't judge him???]

Voyage
[Shido is, unfortunately, not yet quite fit enough to swim for such a distance. On top of that, he's still defenseless— he still hasn't gotten the hang of lightning magic and even if he had, to some small degree, it probably wouldn't be the wisest element to use underwater. So he ends up going on one of the rowboats, which is quite a workout in itself, but at least if he needs to stop he won't, y'know, drown.

To whomever is with him when his muscles are burning and he's out of breath, he says:]

I... need to take a break.

[When he's not rowing, however, Shido seems... remarkably calmer than he usually is. Whenever a sea breeze sweeps across the waves, he briefly closes his eyes to relish in it. Some longing still reflects in his gaze, but for now? The usual hard edge and persistent look of exhaustion in his eyes is, if nothing else, notably less heavy than before.]

Magical Eel Transformation
[Those who happen to be around when Shido passes into Fissue waters get to see something interesting, and quite possibly hilarious: babby's first transformation. Some ways out into the water, he decides to take off his shirt, take a dip into the ocean and swim the rest of the way. He feels he knows enough, at least, about marine biology to be pretty sure that nothing excessively dangerous should be swimming in the waters.

Then again, he's also pretty sure you shouldn't be able to transform mass into light and back with the wave of a hand, or be able to turn into a divinely glowing ghost. He intends on staying close to the boats and others, at least...

But once he hits those waters, something unexpected happens. He transforms.

He notices nearly immediately and halts, twisting around and looking at himself.]

What in the—?! [WHAT IS HAPPENING. HE DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THIS???] —my legs!

Coral Graveyard
[Now here's a new sight: Shido actually seems to be energetic. Even excited. He's swimming slowly around each ship, taking in every detail he can, and wherever there's an opening, he's certainly going inside to get a better look at the inner workings. The stone one in particular absolutely fascinates him, and he spends a lot of time looking at this one in particular.

He's not so overly excited, however, that he doesn't notice the sharks swimming about. In general, he tries to stay away from them, but one seems to have taken a particular liking to him. Well... they usually say to try to make yourself seem bigger than you actually are with predators, right? So at one point he spreads both his arms out suddenly, and that at least seems to deter the shark for a few moments. If anything, it... seems to be enjoying this, playfully darting around him.]

Stay back, you...!

[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?

[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?

Well, you certainly look like you're having fun.

[As Astolfo swims in fin-fluttering circles, Izunia is a bit further down, having...

Well, some kind of time with his own new setup. He's wearing a smile, but it's a little strained from effort.]

I think no legs is much easier to gain control over than eight.

[Judging.

Goro definitely recognizes those cheerful beeps. He wanders over to where Shido's standing, hand on one hip. He's changed partially into his expedition outfit, with the torn jeans from the forest and the same black T-shirt he's been wearing around the station. Seems he's more worried about heat exhaustion than sunburned arms.]

Don't you think you should leave the toys behind, Shido?

[ Around The Back ]

[ Maddie has no intention of telling anybody she's going on this expedition. Because she has no intention of telling anybody she is a mage - and without that, she has neither the capability of defending herself, nor the reason for going that she has. She intends to see how her Zones and this world's Fissures interact.

And so, while everybody else is collecting lunches and taking boats, Maddie transforms just out back, and slips around the side toward the water as Black Witch, her mage persona. Zel is still a cat here, darting ahead of her, ready to hide if he sees anybody else while also giving Maddie a warning.

So feel free to notice a girl with a black cloth blindfold running toward the water away from where anybody else is gathered, while wearing what can only be described as the worst swimming gear imaginable - a frilly dress in blacks and grays. It should be noted that the transformation does some tricks to make her look like she might be a different person from Maddie, but it's possible to put together given the small number of people in the station, the red hair, and the blindfold. ]

[ Sandbar Experiment ]

[ Black Witch has turned into a merperson, but that's fine. That's cool. Her tail is covered in, rather than scales, what seem to be bony plates? But the fin itself is transparent and kind of pretty looking, at least - not that Maddie knows this.

But that's not why she's here. She's pulled herself up onto a portion of the sandbar that's partially submerged, and seems to be in an almost meditative position. People above the surface will probably notice that the Fissure's visual effect - the almost rippling appearance in the air - is simply gone around her, out to about thirty feet.

And if you're approaching from below the surface... well. Then your attention is probably focused on the giant spider-like creature scuttling around the sandbar - almost twelve feet from back to front, with a torso rising up with four more arms in addition to the spider-like legs, two of those arms having huge scythes like some monstrous praying mantis. And if you look closely, you might even notice the thin shimmer of webbing under the water. ]

[ The Real Coral Graveyard ]

[ When one heads down to the Coral Graveyard, you might notice it, uh. Looks a little different. In an area of about a hundred feet, it's... darker, with everything seeming to cast huge, sharp, deep shadows. Parts of the water seem to coalesce, becoming murky and hanging around like mist.

What may have once been normal rock formations are now huge tombstones - nothing written on them, but with pictures of sunken ships engraved on their surfaces instead.

The actual shipwrecks, however, are the strangest. They look even creepier, older, and more decayed than before. And. Where the misty, darker waters touch them, the wrecks turn from wood or stone or metal into translucent blue. But, remarkably, while in this state they also look less wrecked, newer. Like ghosts of the ships that once sailed. And more to the point, they can be gone through as if they don't actually exist, to explore inside without finding or making another opening.

Doing just that are a pair - a mermaid with a bony-scaled tail and magical girl outfit, and a giant spider monster. (See above prompts for descriptions.) Please don't attack them? ]

[ Exploration Brigade ]

[ This is the whatever choice. Find Black Witch and Zelnothoglys The Monster around the waters - the former swimming, the latter usually scuttling along various surfaces. They'll be checking things out, mostly by touch, and trying not to lose any fingers to any eels. ]

Edited 2018-06-02 00:26 (UTC)

[Upon hearing Izunia's voice, Astolfo eagerly darts downwards to meet him, a laugh escaping him at his tentacle troubles.]

I'm sure you can get the hang of it! Maybe you need to use them as just one whole leg, like this -

[He pushes his arms out in the water in front of him, fingers flicking out with each thrust as he propels himself backwards. He pushes himself a bit too hard, and dips upside down, plait floating in the water above him.]

Or maybe the whole thing is like a hand, and they're your fingers, and you've got to... [He wiggles his fingers about in some attempt at a crawling motion.] You know?

[You know.]

[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?

Quit it. [He waved at the light as if it were an annoying bug, frowning.]

What's the problem, then?

[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.

I think it's more along the lines of fingers, but - well, they rather have a mind of their own. I don't think a human brain is actually equipped to handle all of the sensory information.

[He makes a face.]

Did you know that octopus taste with their arms? Everything tastes like seawater.

[Well, now he does.]

[Sorry, Ardyn, it's just a light, not anything solid. You can clip right through it if you want.]

How many times must I tell you "literally everything to do with the Scourge gives me anxiety" before it sinks into your brain?

[Ardyn frowned, looking from Izunia to the void and back.]

...Fair enough.

I can't stand the dark. That's why I taught myself to do this in the first place.

["This" is accompanied by the light bobbing and getting "tossed" from his tentacles to one hand.]

Cute trick. But I imagine someone's going to have to go down there.

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DUNGEON LOG: KEYSTONE REEF

'Kirakira

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gettin' smooched

Boop

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four

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Graveyard

Shideel (and also Shido as a human)

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early dungeon

Tamagotchi

Maddie (as Black Witch) + Monstrous Zelnothoglys

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