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

March 11th

[have_hat_will_travel]

[The woman happening to walk up towards Goro blinked a time or two, looking at the minimalist choice of lair with surprise. Word by now had probably gotten out about Pidonus having some kind of weird portal thing, so perhaps Goro could ask about that.]

This is... Quite a minimalist camp you have going here. Dangerously so, I'd think...

[foolishjustice]

I have my ways of ensuring anything that attacks me overnight at the very least won't be able to get a free shot in. It's not my ideal choice, but I didn't exactly have camping equipment in my inventory when I came here.

[have_hat_will_travel]

Mmm... Still might be better to get a more secure site. I guess at least a few people know about my little portal trick, so... If you wanted a more secure shelter, I guess I can provide?

[foolishjustice]

If you're offering, I would appreciate it. I can offer something warm or cold to drink in return, and healing if you need it. A decent night of sleep should be enough to recover any spiritual energy I use now.

[In other words, his world also lets you recover all spellcasting ability with eight hours of rest.]

[have_hat_will_travel]

Not needed yet, but...

[Pidonus closes her eyes, focusing for a minute or two. Then, a portal appears in front of Goro.]

It only works for those I choose to let it work for, note... And not Touma, because his power keeps it from working for him.

Step in, when you dare! Though I'd grab the blanket and pillow...

[foolishjustice]

Of course, I wouldn't want them to get blown away overnight. Well, I'll think of some way to repay you.

[He gathers his things and stows them in his bag, which really should not hold all of it. Then he steps through the portal, not seeming at all concerned by the idea of walking into an extradimensional space.]

[have_hat_will_travel]

[The space within is... Actually pretty nice looking. Wooden floors, walls, and ceiling, opening in a foyer-like room with stairs curving up to doors on either side on the 2nd floor, and a couple rooms in the first floor.]

Treasure upstairs left, crash space upstairs right, dining hall complete with food and water downstairs right, bathing downstairs left. I can set several more cubes of space, but I haven't figured out exactly what to do with them yet, so... They're not all done up.

I was hoping to keep it a secret, but... Well, I was spotted, so.

[foolishjustice]

This is quite impressive! Storage space isn't really a problem for me, but I would certainly appreciate a tub full of fresh water.

Were you concerned that if others found out, they would start making constant requests for spare rooms?

[have_hat_will_travel]

Partially that. Partially just wanting some private space for myself. And partially so my value to a party isn't outsized relative to my actual skills as a Bard for when we have to organize parties later...

[foolishjustice]

You mean you would rather be valued as a party member for your skills rather than your possessions, right? I can certainly understand that. Well, I can promise you don't have to worry about me bothering you over it when there are safe lodgings already available. The rooms at the station might not be especially large, but they're not so bad that I feel the need to borrow someone else's resources.

[Besides, Pidonus might have noticed by now that he, Akira, and Kurama only have two rooms between the three of them, and he frequently shares his room with one of the other two...]

[have_hat_will_travel]

[Pidonus has chosen to not mention that. Discretion is a good thing, after all.]

Mm. Fair enough. But yeah, this place is my loot stash as much as anything. Though unless I get my hands on a bunch of souls or something, the Mage's Magnificent Mansion can't run at full power. It's supposed to have a personal maid squad.

[foolishjustice]

That part's going to have to stay offline, I have yet to see anyone here who deserves to have their soul bound to an eternity of cleaning up after someone else.

[He can think of a few people who do deserve it, but...they're not here.]

[have_hat_will_travel]

Well, I mean... Yeah, definitely no one deserves that out of those here, that's fair. Normally I wouldn't concern myself with 'deserving' or not, but there's also the practical factor that any soul so acquired would be locked in here, and I'm not sure they'd keep any abilities.

... Which now that I say it like that sounds even more evil than I intended, huh. I'm not used to the whole 'trying to be moral' thing...

[foolishjustice]

I've heard far worse thought processes.

If nothing else, it might present a solution if we end up with someone around who isn't willing to play nice for the sake of mutual benefit. Assuming nobody simply kills them and insists Strange-san not use whatever backup they've acquired, but I'm trying to think in terms of not solving my problems with murder.

[have_hat_will_travel]

Oh, I still have to kill them as part of the process.

And I gotta have a fair contract on their soul, or it's gotta be in crystalized form that I can steal. Which USUALLY means someone else had to have a fair contract.

Even the depths of evil have their limitations.

[foolishjustice]

I've never really known evil individuals to care if a contract was signed fairly or not.

[He can imagine a few people who would have just forced their intended victim to sign it, or tricked them into agreeing without giving them the full details.]

But I suppose if they have to die regardless, it's a moot point. Well, if it comes up, we'll figure something out.

[have_hat_will_travel]

The fair-contracts thing is because normally, when you die, your soul goes to an afterlife based on your deeds, unless contracted for.

[foolishjustice]

So, there are supernatural laws of the universe that prevent a contract signed under duress or without knowing what was at risk from working?

[have_hat_will_travel]

Duress and compulsion. Usually. There's exceptions.

Signing into it unknowingly or without paying attention to the fine print, though? That's in the okay range.

[foolishjustice]

It's a shame such things don't apply to mundane contracts. It would certainly solve my country's problem with police officers forcing people to sign false confessions.

[have_hat_will_travel]

... That's some kind of really nasty Lawful Evil...

[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.

[have_hat_will_travel]

Sounds like the work of Devils... And since a lot of you Material Planars already tend to not know the difference, Devils are Lawful Evil, Demons like me are Chaotic Evil. There's also Daemons, who are Neutral Evil. And each one hates the other two.

Seriously, fuck Devils.

[foolishjustice]

I'm not certain if such creatures genuinely exist in my world, but considering I've seen proof of an upper plane that spans across dimensions...I wouldn't be surprised if a lower one does as well.

Much of it, however, can be blamed on human complacency. They allow people with ambition and few morals to do as they please, because they've been conditioned to believe challenging authority is either socially unacceptable or not worth the risks. It's quite pathetic, really.

[Chaotic Neutral hates Lawful Evil, too. And isn't especially impressed with Lawful Neutral, for that matter.]

[have_hat_will_travel]

... People like that earn their fate very, very quickly. Your world would be very good to the Devils.

A system like that will inevitably break. The question is, how? And then what comes after?