DUNGEON - BELLMARE ENCLAVE (BELLMARE MOUNTAINS, PT 2)

[phantasmods]

The shadows are starting to grow very long as you crest his particular ridge - it's not night yet, but it will be soon. In the shadows of the afternoon, with a tall mountain already blocking the sun, lies a snow-covered valley that is different from the ones you've come across thus far in your investigation.

This valley is home to a town, and unlike all the settlements you've seen so far - Incendia, the Telovia mining town, and the manor - it's very much active. There are actual people in the streets, visible from above, going through their days on snow-free streets, bundled up against the cold.

Those of you who asked were told of the handful of people who didn't go into the slumber of stasis as the Fissure conditions of the world grew worse and worse, instead isolating themselves and trying to continue living their lives as they could. Now, it seems, you've found exactly such a group.

Welcome to the Bellmare Enclave, and enjoy your stay.

[[OOC: Welcome to part 2 of the dungeon! For the most part, interaction with the town's NPCs can be handwaved as described on the main information post. Worth noting are the following major things: The Bellmare Enclave isn't expecting visitors, though the people are generally friendly to the new arrivals. They don't know about the time dilation effect of their Fissure - to them, it's only been about eighteen years since the Slumber Plan was put in place and they withdrew from the world. And finally, by a similar token, they have no idea how far the Fissures outside of their own have grown - while it's not uncommon for them to find odd objects from time to time, they'll assume that the characters are just arrivals from other places within their own world, rather than outsiders, until told otherwise.]]

Comments

[phantasmods]

[ Just that indistinct voice echoing back. Now you're paying attention, though, something else becomes clear; it's not just indistinct, it's garbled. It almost sounds like trying to listen to someone talking underwater. It's impossible to make out what they're saying... just that it's coming from deeper in the caves. ]

[windowsexplorer]

There's definitely someone there.

[With Ardyn occupied holding Church back, there's no one to prevent Meredith from taking off in that direction! (I mean, there are actually like four people who could do it, but shh.) At least she's walking, not running.]

[motherfucking_ghost]

Something, anyway. I don't think we're gonna understand it from here. [We can walk instead of rush in, that's...fine, he just wants to nyoom.]

[burninglight]

Right. Just be cautious, all of you.

[nyoom is ill advised but let’s go]

[fistsofchange]

It’d have to be pretty darn scary to be a problem for all of US.

[Lin patted Ardyn reassuringly on the back, before pressing on.]

Don’t worry, we’ll be careful.

[windowsexplorer]

[Meredith immediately stops and siiiighs.]

That's almost as bad as asking what could go wrong.

[fistsofchange]

What?

[windowsexplorer]

Talking about how unlikely it is that we'll have a problem basically guarantees we'll have a problem.

[motherfucking_ghost]

Can we just collectively agree to not jinx ourselves?

[burninglight]

Please. Let’s just keep going and not do anything stupid.

[stavros]

[Kokoro walks forward carefully.]

There's been worse, but be cautious.

[phantasmods]

[ Eventually, the little group will find they've reached the back wall of the cavern. Or at least, what appears to be the black wall of the cavern. It's hard to tell, because the entirety of it had been swallowed by a single gargantuan crystal, glowing softly and providing most of the light in the room. For those of you who investigated the crystal in the basement at the Silvereagle Manor, it looks to be the same kind. It's so clear and shiny you can see your own reflections in the surface and–

Oh, hm. You might want to do a quick headcount. There's one person too many in your reflection on the crystal's surface. ]

[burninglight]

[THIS IS FINE]

Stay behind me. Don't touch it.

[Let's just...carefully step a little closer to get a better look at that extra reflection.]

[windowsexplorer]

It's beautiful...

[LOOK AT IT! LOOK.

Oh and this reflection business is weird.]

[motherfucking_ghost]

You get that we're gonna touch it because that's probably how we communicate, right?

[burninglight]

I know, but you and I are prepared for what might happen. The others likely aren't. Besides, I want a better look before we make any physical contact with it.

[fistsofchange]

[Lin did not touch the crystal but she did get closer to it to inspect it. Which is how she noticed the extra reflection. She checked behind her to count everyone, then peered back Olay it, confused]

There’s...Someone inside it? Can you all see that?

[windowsexplorer]

Yeah, I see it. Unless...

[Meredith turns to look and make sure there isn't just an extra person standing there with them.]

[phantasmods]

[ No extra person! They seem to just exist inside the crystal.

The reflection... moves? Kind of? It's hard to tell because it's pretty indistinct. Everyone else is in pretty sharp focus, but when you try and clap your eyes on this extra reflection, your brain just sort of refuses to pick out the details. There's a wash of what looks like long, red hair and a smudge of what looks like dark brown clothes but other than that, it's impossible to pick anything out.

Either way, it seems to be leaning in closer to its side of the crystal, like it's trying to get a better look at everyone. You all hear another echo of that strange, indistinct voice. It's clearer now that it's not actually talking, but making approximations of speech and words with great effort. ]

[burninglight]

[great the redhead hates this]

I'm...going to try what I did last time. So whatever this is knows we aren't a threat.

[Ardyn pulled his gloves off, looking to the scars on his hands for a moment before forcing himself to focus again. His right hand started glowing a warm and comforting sunlight yellow, Ardyn biting his lower lip nervously.]

Leonard, stay close. The rest of you, just...don't do anything stupid.

[He took a deep breath and cautiously touched fingertips lit with something warm and comforting to the crystal.]

[windowsexplorer]

[Meredith watches carefully and records everything. Video, sound, comm traffic, emotional responses, she's logging all of it.]

[motherfucking_ghost]

[Damn right he's staying close. He wants to touch, after all. But he stands at Ardyn's side, an arm slung around him. Half for comfort, half in case he needs to pull Ardyn away.]

[stavros]

[Kokoro draws a bottle out of her scarf with a tense look.]

What sort of creature...

[thefragment]

[ Nothing happens visibly once Ardyn touches the crystal but everyone in its presence will immediate feel a ripple of... something. It's indistinct but if you had to put a finger on it... it seems almost like someone saying hello.

Those of you who've got up in the Fragment's biz before will recognize its presence here. It's almost overwhelmingly strong, but there's still a frustrating distance that prevents any of you from quite getting across what you mean.

What is clear as day though, is that the fragment is happy you came – joyful, even. It's been a very, very long time since anyone has wanted to help. ]

[burninglight]

...It's okay. [Ardyn let out a quiet sigh of relief, pressing his hand lightly on the crystal. Whether he said that to the others or the fragment wasn't entirely clear, but it might as well have been both.]