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

[promittere]

[hah!]

I was taught to be as diplomatic as possible. The habit stuck - though, yes, your family is driving me up the wall.

[burninglight]

Oh, it's not a bad habit to have. There's few things as dangerous as a clever politician, even in the face of two thousand years of family issues.

[promittere]

It's a bit too early to say which of us are the most dangerous. [Bottoms up!] And I think "issues" is the polite way of saying how completely fucked everything is.

[burninglight]

[Muttered into his own glass:] No shit.

[promittere]

[why is this whiskey so sweet]

You don't need to be polite for my sake, Ardyn. Say what you mean.

[this is terrible]

[burninglight]

You have no idea how fucked my life has been for the past year, and His Majesty King Fratricide is just the logical escalation of 'what is the situation I least want to find myself in today?'.

How's that?

[promittere]

Better.

And you're right. I don't have any idea, and I don't suppose you want to fill me in? In case I need to referee you and your brother again.

[burninglight]

It's...a very long story. I'm surprised Noctis believed any of it, for how insane it makes me sound just to explain the very concept.

[promittere]

We have time. And I'm sure it would be better to hear it from you, not him.

[Because surely you know he's going to find out the story sooner or later.]

[burninglight]

Just...hear me out, alright? I'm going to summarize it as quickly as I can, and I'm going to sound godsdamned concussed for it.

I was kidnapped to another universe for the third season of what was ostensibly a reality show presented as fiction, where we were coerced into killing one another in very real and not remotely scripted fashion. I and my family have spent the last year or so trying to run from the network responsible, being abducted again for a fifth season, and finally dismantling the network in a media circus of litigation after exposing the show for the nonfictional torment it was.

But I'm incredibly famous in seven galaxies or something now, so that's kind of a bright side.

[promittere]

[......

...]

You do sound rather touched, I must admit. But it's all too fantastical to dismiss outright.

[It's too strange, too convoluted, to be something Ardyn would have devised whole cloth. So...it must be some sort of truth?]

[burninglight]

You've heard me lie more than enough to know I would make up something better than that, i think.

[promittere]

It's not your usual affair, no. Not enough illusions or political intrigue.

[burninglight]

Media is a special kind of evil, and I was always more suited to shadowy politics.

The short version of the ordeal is that it's been a very long year, I got killed again, the unfortunate malarial parasite that drove me insane no longer exists, I am very tired, and accidentally adopted at least four or five cildren and got married.

...That is exactly as surreal to me as it is to you.

[promittere]

...The Scourge is gone?

[What other parasite could it be, if not the Starscourge. That's a little more important than your husband and kids, even if Ignis does feel a little bad about bringing Church up in front of Izunia.]

[burninglight]

Do you really think I'd be capable of a civil and barely sarcastic conversation if it wasn't? You've met me.

[promittere]

It could have been possible you were uncivil and incredibly sarcastic before the Scourge. [Just sayin'.] But the fact it could be removed by a...television network is a bit hard to swallow.

[burninglight]

A television network that could casually pull people from across universes, suppress the power of kings, erase and restore memories, and had the technology to store human consciousness in virtual reality.

Intergal7 was not your run of the mill public access channel.

[promittere]

Yet they were still taken down by due process and the police.

Who I suppose were also not run of the mill. Though surely you know what this means, don't you?

[burninglight]

What, that I owe my life to a scientist, his AI daughter, and alien space police? Because I definitely knew that.

[promittere]

Well, yes, but- [Look at the bigger picture!] If we could retain memories of this and figure out how they did this, neither Noct or yourself would need to die if we go back to Eos.

[burninglight]

...




Shit. Fuck. Oh my gods. Why didn't I think of that months ago.

[promittere]

Perhaps because you were more concerned with survival and the well being of your new family and husband.

Though now we have time and maybe even the means for a new solution.

[burninglight]

You don't know the half of it. I can get access to Intergal's technology from Sister, that's how I was able to create devices for us to travel to each other's worlds as we like. I've no doubt at all I could access whatever else they utilized. I'm even pretty well-versed in their weird space magitek by now.

[promittere]

So it shouldn't be too hard to replicate the process and take it back to Eos. [He might sound just a little impressed, but he's...mostly hopeful?] And maybe you could help me with another problem.