DUNGEON LOG: KEYSTONE SHORE

[phantasmods]

The morning of the 9th, everyone will get a message sent to their communication devices -

Okay, guys! I think we have enough stabilizers to try and get the shoreline stable. If you want to help out, grab your supplies and come on up to the roof!

When characters arrive at the roof, they'll find Top - with a wheeling table full of many copies of the same odd-looking device - the two exploratory drones, and a ramp down off the roof to the ground. (The latter looks a little hastily constructed.)

"Okay," Top says, picking up one of the devices. "Here's the stabilizers. Stick them to walls and stuff - mostly out of the way places where they're not going to get knocked off - and then press the buttons along the side."

They demonstrate, unfolding the set of legs at one end of the device before showing the buttons to anyone who's close enough. "Go ahead and take a couple, especially if you've got one of those space-saving inventories going on, I know there's like four of you with those? Strange got some first aid kits together, too, if you want."

Sure enough, another table nearby has the med kits... As well as traditional paper bag lunches, courtesy of Bottom. Don't question it too much.

"We'll be staying back here to keep track of the stabilization progress and work the drones," Top says, "but don't hesitate to call if you get in trouble! We'll send one of these guys down to get you an evac if you need it."

And with that, you're free to go down the ramp... Or to make for the beach however else you might choose to go.

Comments

[rhododendronhoney]

Yeah, and I guess there might be stuff other people grab that we don't have a chance to get ourselves. So there might still be some opportunities for trade. [Cori glances at the clams again.] ...so, if I had a fire, I could just let them clamp shut and then boil them open.

[rhododendronhoney]

Oh, she loved it. I had to remind her to leave some for everyone else.

[rhododendronhoney]

Well, if I hear any of that, I'll definitely warn you. Maybe distract them so you can get away.

[have_hat_will_travel]

... That's a solution. Though... Hm. The important part's getting the shells and the meat...

[Pidonus starts walking towards one.]

It's not like they have an attack, near as I can tell...

[rhododendronhoney]

[Cori follows carefully.] Watch out they don't clamp down on your hand or something, though...

[scarsolderthanyou]

[Oh. Well, shit, he almost forgot that he's a big scary monster here, didn't he. Stone hisses through his teeth, then climbs up onto the lighthouse itself... and shifts down to his groundling form, landing halfway down the stairs. Then he calls down:]

Hey! You okay? Sorry about that!

[scarsolderthanyou]

He shakes his head, again slowly and deliberately, but that's the extent of speechlessness he is going to tolerate for now. He shifts, disappearing in a Stone-sized cloud of dark mist, which then condenses down into the more familiar gray-skinned old man. "I can communicate some in that form, but not in ways you'll recognize." He holds a hand behind his head, tilting it up and down. "The position of the spines says a lot."

[scarsolderthanyou]

I am. My other form is much bigger.

[He pauses, considers, then explains,]

You would probably call it a dragon, or like one.

[riderofcharlemagne]

I promise, your secret is safe with me.

[It's not.]

What's this guy like? Aside from being the best.

[Here's your invitation to gush, Prompto.]

[riderofcharlemagne]

[He nods.]

I bet being able to explore it all will be even more so.

[riderofcharlemagne]

His eyes light up as he shuffles closer across the sand to Stone. He gives him an encouraging nod. "Go on!"

[dubiouslychthonic]

Let's hope it's better than what's washed up on the beach, anyway. [She grins crookedly.] You know what I found when we first got here? A plate of grilled herdbeast steak and some kind of awful vinegar'd salad. Just sitting there on the sand at the high-tide line, still warm.

[foolishjustice]

I've been out here a couple times before, but they were fairly short trips. I've never really stayed long enough to explore before.

[The beach is coming into view as they round the cliff, giving them a bird's eye view of the waves crashing against the sand.]

[foolishjustice]

Ah, interesting! I've never actually seen something of that sort before that wasn't just a manifestation of emotion. Such creatures are purely mythological in my world.

[foolishjustice]

I can't argue that description. Sometimes people do join the police force or prosecutor's office with genuine good intentions, but those typically erode as they learn to value status and recognition above genuine justice. Many more are even working for a further reaching evil, who encourages corruption for his own gain.

Honestly, I'm not particularly impressed with any of my country's governmental affairs.

[foolishjustice]

I appreciate the sentiment, but let's hope it doesn't become necessary. It's nice having some peace and quiet around the Station, don't you agree?

[foolishjustice]

[Fruit is good. And not stuffed full of preservatives.]

Not always, no. I learned how after I gained access to a cognitive world, where the laws of reality lean heavily on common perceptions and ideas. Since a nearly infinite carrying capacity is such a common trope in video games, I was able to use that to store objects without worrying about physical space.

I'm just glad that this world's magic works on compatible principals, I ordinarily lose access to my cognitive abilities when I'm in the real world.

[founderinglight]

Soup, sandwich, any preference at all?

[Weird grandpas come prepared.]

[photoshooter]

Haha, are you a one-man restaurant? Soup's good, though.

[He goes back to inspect his blanket.]

Oh. Careful where you sleep, by the way. They've got ticks on this beach.

[photoshooter]

Mmm, growing up, I always kind of admired him from afar, you know? We went to the same school, but he was always surrounded by people asking him questions about his house, or his servants, or... oh. [Prompto interrupts himself with a laugh.] He's the prince, so. Sort of unapproachable, right? He seemed impossibly cool to someone like me.

[He quiets fondly, looking down at the bottle crab in its helmet.]

But he looked lonely, too. And when I did get to know him, it turned out he was a big awkward nerd who complains about homework and doesn't clean his room. Oh man, we skipped so much school to play video games at the arcade, but somehow, he still managed to pull through when he needed to... Those were the days.

[founderinglight]

I can do a decent impression of a diner, at the very least.

[And he's got a bowl of soup for you when you're ready, Prompto, complete with a spoon sticking out.]

Fortunately, I'd been planning to sleep in my chair anyway. Unless they can crawl through my boots, I don't think I have to worry.

[photoshooter]

Whaaaat, that's so weird!

[The image earns an easy laugh.]

I found some plastic containers and a movie--and some bullets, I guess--but nothing like a warm meal. Was the meat any good, at least?

[photoshooter]

Careful you don't end up with a sugar addict on your hands! Though I dunno, maybe that's good for business?

[photoshooter]

"Oh, really? I guess that makes sense. That's enough to talk to all the other raksura around, though? I can't imagine getting ideas across only with body language."

Deprive Prompto Argentum of the ability to chatter on and on? Chop his hands off instead, seriously.

[photoshooter]

Cognitive... world? I understand the video game part, but what does that have to do with real life?