DUNGEON LOG: AMESTA FOREST

[phantasmods]

Hello everyone!

Up and the others think that we have enough stabilizers ready for the next expedition! We're going to the forest to the south this time, but it shouldn't be too far for anyone to walk. If you're REALLY going to complain, you can talk to Top on the roof and catch a ride on one of the drones like before.

The scenery's really nice, but there's definitely some kind of magical effect going on in there - as far as we can tell, the day doesn't progress inside the forest. It's stuck a little while after sunset - probably when the Fissure first appeared? (°ヘ°)

Be careful out there! Don't be afraid to call for help if you need it and we'll send a drone your way! o(^▽^)o And Strange says no stupid stunts this time, got it? (；¬д¬)

You'll probably see a big tree on your way there, before you're under the cover of the forest! That's the Infinity Tree, it's a really big willow. Charm can probably tell you more about the mythology if you're interested. He's gonna meet you guys there at the end of the expedition, so try to work your way in that direction as you go!

(｡･ω･｡)ﾉ See you when you get back!

After Down's message, characters will find things set up much the way they were last time on the roof. Top is making last-minute adjustments to the drones, and there's tables with food and medical supplies set out - the latter a little sparse compared to last time, so hopefully you kept your first aid kits from before. The table of stabilizers, on the other hand, is much more full.

On your way, you might also see some of what the construction drones have been putting together so noisily these last few days - there's the metal shell of a building, similar to but smaller than the Station, to the immediate west, just off your path to the forest in the distance. Nothing much indicates its function as of yet, though there are significantly more windows.

To the southwest stretches the border of Amesta Forest - about a mile distant, though still easily within sight. As promised, the Infinity Tree sticks up from the far edge, easily visible for those who need a landmark either now or later in the dungeon. If you get lost, you can probably find your way up a tree somewhere to get a perspective on it, and which direction to head in.

The silver mist doesn't begin until some distance into the forest, the time of day gradually changing to the eternal twilight mentioned as you approach the boundary of the Fissure itself. There's no distinct border, just a slow shading towards late afternoon and then sunset while the mist increases around you.

And as the mist wraps around you, and exhaustion you might have felt from the walk out here starts to evaporate... You've well and truly arrived, now. Better keep your eyes open.

Comments

[personalityquarks]

[Charm blinks, looking Ardyn up and down - and then seems to have a realization.]

...Right. Hammerspace. I really need to figure out how to make a version of that.

[burninglight]

...You've met my brother, then.

[personalityquarks]

I don't think there's anyone who hasn't at the Station. He sort of gets everywhere and then falls asleep there.

[Sheepish glance off to the side.]

I didn't want to bring it up, figured you would probably be sick of hearing it by now.

[burninglight]

Quite. I just wanted to gauge how much of a problem that was liable to be.

[personalityquarks]

As long as you don't go blowing up water energy in my lab and soaking half my notes, it won't be any problem at all.

[burninglight]

Oh good, he's being just as much of a troublesome little shit as I thought.

[personalityquarks]

I mean, he did apologize. Something about a dramatic breakthrough, I was busy peeling apart pages.

[burninglight]

I deal in experiments of magitek, not elemancy. I'm not interested in ruining a laboratory.

[personalityquarks]

Oh - you'll probably want to use Top's lab more than mine, then, anyway. That's where most of our technological junk accumulates.

[It's a fond description, but Top your junk is still junk.]

[burninglight]

...So you're the ones in charge here?

[this is fine he's fine everything's great]

How many of you are there?

[personalityquarks]

[Oh god not this again.]

There's six of us who live at the Station, but we're not evil overlords or anything.

[burninglight]

You're aware that's something a suspicious person would say about themselves, right?

[Androids of no consequence.]

[personalityquarks]

And I've already been hauled over the coals in public once today, thanks. Yes, we're 'in charge,' but only in the sense that like, please don't blow up our buildings, we'll make you sleep outside if you put holes in the roof.

[burninglight]

...met Yuuri, have you.

[rip in fuck.]

You'll have to excuse some of us for not taking you at your word when we've little reason to right now.

[personalityquarks]

And you can't blame me for being kind of annoyed with being treated like a criminal, either. I don't know what happened to you, but I don't want to hurt you or anyone else. Neither do my siblings. We're not like that.

[burninglight]

...

[Ardyn was thoughtfully silent, looking Charm over for a long moment...and then holding out his hand.]

My name's Ardyn. Ardyn Tenmyouji.

[It wasn't trust by any means, but that was enough to at least earn civility from someone who understood what it felt like.]

[personalityquarks]

...Charm. It's nice to meet you.

[The hand he extends to Ardyn's is made of metal coated in silicone, but the grip is expressively human and solid enough.]

[burninglight]

[Perhaps strangely, he didn't so much as blink at that or even the unconventional name.]

Likewise, even if the circumstances could stand to be somewhat better.

[personalityquarks]

[Would you believe that not a single person has ICly questioned their names yet, actually?]

No kidding. Meeting new people is one of the only things I like about it.

[burninglight]

[i mean one of his best friends is a robot named heart, this scans pretty well]

How long has this been going on? I know we're not the first to arrive here.

[personalityquarks]

The Fissures in general, or people showing up? Because the first has been going on for a long time, but we've only been getting people here for a handful of months.

[burninglight]

The latter's more what concerns me right now. Is there any notable pattern to it? Something that set it off, if these Fissues have been around longer than such arrivals?

[personalityquarks]

Not anything in particular that we know about - it's just the next stage of progression, seemingly. We got small objects first, then larger ones, then animals, and now people.

[burninglight]

[...Plausible enough to be believed, for now.]

And what happens if things continue to progress like that?

[personalityquarks]

Wish we knew. Nothing good, probably. That's why we're trying to get things stabilized now - before they do get any worse. It's something exponential, it's been getting more faster for the last couple years.