The Fetid Fountain

Discussion in 'Northern Hyrule' started by Beefish, May 9, 2016.

  1. Beefish

    Beefish DODONGO DISLIKES SMOKE. new

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    PLAYERS
    Blonde Panther - Ni'Ran
    Magnere - Areyal
    Cataphractoi - Tessa
    Squishy -Lamont
    Electronic Ink - Remei

    CAPTURED BY THE WALLMASTER
    Nicholas Muller - Nicholas
    Sinistrari - Faust

    ______________________________​

    In the Western corner of North Hyrule, tucked in a green fold of roots, weeds, and mangled trees on the far outskirts of Nabooru stands an archaic, pillared gate made of curious, pearly stone. Two slab doors support the gate. They have been pushed outward, expelled by a rising scent of mould which penetrates the air like a broadsword, swooping through the atmosphere with a stink of decay. A network of rotting trees clutch the pathways to the door, barring it with curving, toothy appendages, like a desperate attempt to hide it from the people of Hyrule. But mingled with the smell of rot, and the subtle darkness in the breeze, remnants of beauty, and sombre strands of peace can be felt lingering. This was once a place of rest. A sanctuary. The strange invitation still floats over the door, like a ghost welcoming the weary and hopeless.

    The historians who discovered this place could have become legends in the very books they dedicate themselves to; but their cowardice betrayed them, and they left the ruins to whispers between treasure hunters and inn keepers. Why? Well, within the maw of this once whimsical place surely there lurks danger and malice. For only a force under the influence of maddening evil could stain such pure, gentle air.

    It's poison stings the earth, the water, the very sky over what some believe was once a Great Fairy Fountain.

    Recently, the location of the Fountain has been made known to those with an ear for the sort. A desperate historian called Aghan, only slightly wealthier than his peers, determined to glean some lost information from the curious remains, has been hiring, bribing, coaxing and persuading any one who will listen to letters or voice to investigate what he believes was once a Great Fairy Fountain. That's why you're here. Whether it be the money, or to seek fame, or to relinquish the ancient knowledge hidden in the depths of this gloomy hold, or just for the thought that perhaps you could free the Fountain from evil's grasp. Whatever the reason, you find yourself stood at the gleaming, pillared gate, amidst a band of souls not so different from yourself.

    How This Works (OOC) (open)

    So, I don't want to make this into a proper technical RPG with D20s and stuff because that's not what play-by-post is all about. We're here, in my opinion, to tell stories, and maths can make that either interesting or tedious. Nevertheless, because of the style of this particular quest there are some things you should probably know about. I'm sure a lot of you would do these things naturally, but for those that might not here are some things you might find interesting about navigating the Fountain.

    Every time you encounter a monster, a puzzle, or a trap, I'll tell you what happened in my next post. You can try all sorts of things to interact with these obstacles and I'll show you what influence your character has on them.

    The Fountain is full of secrets, and each one can be found in a different way. I'll try to make them general enough so that any character could potentially find secrets - but some characters will be naturally more able to find them than others. If you want to try and find a secret, you have to have a general idea of where to look first. If your character wants to find a secret chest, then have them look in the corners of the room, the walls, things like that, they might find a hidden switch or a torch.

    Additionally, if some characters have certain perks or treasures that might help them find secrets more easily, they can use those things to secretly find stuff. I'll send a PM to the player if they find something. If they don't then the next post will state that their perk or treasure yielded nothing. You may or may not want to do this, as most players have specific treasures anyway so finding things secretly might not really help, it's more of a style thing for characters more independent and for bonus fun for confusing the other characters.

    On the topic of perks and treasures, Perks which activate automatically (such as Sense), will have a description inside a spoiler at the bottom of DM posts (where necessary.) The spoiler will be titled for the perk being used. After looking at your profiles, it seems that Sense is the only one applicable for now. If you don't have the required perk, you can still look at the spoiler - but you might choose not to for RP reasons. It's really up to you. Just remember that even if you read a Sense spoiler, your character has no knowledge of it if they don't have Sense.

    Feel free to split up and search for things by yourself, don't feel restricted, this is first and foremost about character and story, the other stuff is just here to help that (hopefully).

    Don't worry about finding all the secrets, you can backtrack through the Fountain when you have the compass and find any chests you might have missed.

    Sorry if this wall of text is intimidating :o_o: this is very slightly different to the way I did this originally, so if any of this is too confusing or annoying let me know - my primary goal as DM is to make sure you're all enjoying yourselves. Tell me about any issues you have in the OOC RP Discussion


    Map Floor 1 (open)
    [​IMG]

    Map Floor 2 (open)
    [​IMG]


    [Maps will be updated as the characters explore. Finding the Dungeon Map and the Compass will affect these maps, giving you a complete floor plan and treasure chest locations respectively.]

    Compass: Not Found
    Dungeon Map: Not Found
    Big Key: Not Found
    Small Keys: 0



    Last Edit: the Map for Floor 2 has been updated.
    Last edited: Apr 1, 2017
  2. Blonde Panther

    Blonde Panther Not always sweet and delicate vet

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    Ni'Ran had sat himself down on a large rock near the entrance, leaning back and watching his partners for the day trickle in one by one. If they had been hired by Aghan like him, they would have been given the location and told to gather there. If they had arrived of their own volition, all the better- he liked having a variety of people around him. And quite the variety it was- Hylians, a Zora, and then himself. To the unfamiliar eye, it looked as if the Rito swordsman was half-asleep, but the one eye he had open scanned the group in detail, quickly taking inventory of what they had to work with. Two mages... another swordswoman aside from himself... some sort of rogue-type guy, perhaps... and an archer. Quite the balanced group.

    "Hey, all," he finally said, sitting up. "Looks like old man Aghan hired a freaking army to do this." Not that he blamed the guy. If this place was as haunted, decrepit, and inhabited by bad things as preliminary studies had indicated, then he was in for a rough time. That was actually part of the reason Ni'Ran had taken the job in the first place. Not only did he feel his skill with his blade could help protect the others, which could be much-needed, but it would be excellent training... and besides, he was intrigued. He wanted to know what had happened to the place, if they could save it, and what kind of Great Fairy had inhabited the fountain before it had, well, gone to shit.

    He continued talking to the others, hoping to break the ice. "My name is Ni'Ran. Ni'Ran Amiron. I know my way around a sword. What do you all say we introduce ourselves, decide who will be the leader of today's mission, and go in?"
    Last edited: May 12, 2016
  3. Sinistrari

    Sinistrari Devious Grins & Hunter of Synonyms reg

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    A sigh tumbled at the decrepit sight before him, claimed by nature and time and-…something else altogether. The reek scrunched his nose with unmasked disgust and he promptly bit down, hard, on his current candy to unleash a burst of fragrant and tasty relief. Still not as good as a cigarette. It never would be. But what sort of foolish doctor willingly poisons himself with tobacco? No matter how fine or high of a standard it may be, or whatever sort of shady 'Scrub offers it on discount and ironically no matter how nasty it tasted, it would be just plain stupid.

    Faust sighed again and silently cursed regret for ever giving into the temptation to begin with. And so the lollipop stick was mashed and rolled between a firm set of disgruntled lips as he made his ever so languid approach towards the unearthed ruin. He was late. The latest apparently. A conversation was already kicking off amongst the motley crew: one or two of the faces some he even recognised. Is this what they call fate? A smirk at his own horrid humour tweaked at the corner of his mouth. He would’ve laughed but it wasn’t actually that funny.

    But Nayru be damned, I’m doing all sorts of stupid shit now. Ah, a stark revelation. Or well, not really. He had known and known for a long time yet somehow always found himself knee deep in the worst of it because of his damned inclination towards to ‘duty’. Ha. Duty. But he was already here and they’d seen him.

    Fuck. There was nothing for it but to continue his hesitant approach with a natural, slight limp as always and a natural, indolent attitude to his air. Of course he made sure to keep well away from the female members of the group: two was more than enough for his comfort.

    “Faust.” The doctor grumbled, stern and deep and almost tired. The name dropped before he was even properly at the group but he figured if they didn’t hear it then it was their problem. “A doctor.”

    Coming to a halt a brief meter or so away from Ni’Ran, the Hylian’s acute black eyes narrowed with scrutiny and swept the stranger up and down with complete disregard for social etiquette – or the comfort of anyone really. He was a strange looking Rito but he looked like he could handle a sword well. Good. I’m not going to be chopping anything up with my bare hands. Faust gave a slow, slight nod of appreciation before turning his slanted sight sharply upon the rest of their company.

    Tessa. Nicholas. Some sort of Zora mage woman: he avoided too much eye contact to gain much more information that. And another Hylian, a gap-toothed one. He couldn't have been that much younger than Faust himself but there was something...shady about him. Nothing obvious but the doctor immediately didn't trust him.
    Last edited: May 13, 2016
  4. Gizmo95

    Gizmo95 That one nice but occasionally creepy guy. new

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    Nicholas peered up from his map, once again the crude map that had originally lead him to Lon Lon Ranch, and realized he had finally reached his destination. How he was able to accomplish this with his horrible excuse for a map, and some scribbles from a partially drunk farmhand he had saved, he would never know. He had only heard that some mystical place had been rediscovered and was full of danger and treasure. To Nicholas's ear this meant adventure and adventure meant he was naturally drawn to it. As he put his map away he examined the entrance before him and felt a sense of foreboding. As curious as he was, could he handle whatever lay within? He got lucky with the bandit attack and had only just come to terms with the fact he had killed other Hylians for the first time. He knew that he might have to when he left home but the first time was always the hardest. Or that was what he was told by passing mercenaries and soldiers in his home town.


    Once he cleared his head of these thoughts Nicholas realized he wasn't alone. There seemed to be a gathering of several other people here as well. They all seemed well equipped, save for one, and had deteremined looks in their eyes. They were all probably experienced warriors from across the land. This honestly excited Nicholas beyond belief. He immediately got out his journal and began writing quick descriptions of the others waiting around. He began with the stocky man that wore many necklaces and had an Ocarina hanging around his neck. A fellow musician perhaps? He moved onto the Rito, taking note of his height and stunning eyes. He then took note of the Zora, her head was very unusual from the stories he had heard back home. Finally his eyes moved onto the final female and he froze for a bit before quickly looking down and writing a description of her. She was a tall ginger with pale skin that he found to be very alluring. Her body was powerful but feminine at the same time and he couldn't help comparing her to Datura, that beautiful Gerudo he met. But while Datura was definitely beautiful and very provocative, he didn't feel the same sudden feeling from her as he did now.


    ‘Oh Farore, I'm sketching her without realizing it.’ He thought to himself as he snapped out of his daze. He had been blushing and realized he had developed a crush at first sight on the ginger warrior. Damn him and his preference for green eyed gingers. He was reminded of a girl back home but he had never had the courage to talk to her. However he was never afraid to fight others and travel across the land alone. 'Hopefully she didn't notice. Farore, she'll think I'm some creep.'

    Nicholas once again pulled from these thoughts when the Rito warrior walked up towards the gathering and introduced himself. The Rito was named Ni’Ran and seemed friendly enough. He put away his journal and decided introductions were in order. To his surprise a rather large man came from behind and quickly introduced himself. Nicholas was surprised to find Faust here after meeting him at Lon Lon Ranch. Maybe they could catch up later, though he didn't seem interested in small talk back then either.


    “Sorry about hiding my nose in my journal the whole time. I'm usually not that introverted, but with such am eclectic gathering of people here I had to capture my first impressions.” Nicholas said excitedly. “Oh, but where are my manners? I'm here babbling on and haven't even introduced myself! The names Nicholas Muller, traveling musician, local trickster and budding adventurer.” He said with an exaggerated bow. “I'm quite handy with my bow and quick on my feet. Though I'll leave any close encounters to your blade. And if we ever need a soothing tune to settle the nerves I may know a song or two.” He finished with a smirk and a mischievous look in his eyes. Any experienced warrior would probably be able to sense how inexperienced Nicholas was just from his casual attitude and wouldn't be wrong in pointing out this fact. Nicholas knew he wasn't much in a fight but hoped he could learn from these warriors and help whenever the chance presented itself. After all, sometimes the quill is mightier than the sword. ‘Man, I'm so lame.’ Nicholas thought to himself at that last internal thought.
    Last edited: May 12, 2016
  5. Magnere

    Magnere Momentai vet

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    In all honesty, Areyal was just happy to be there. So many new people, it was extremely exciting for her. Such vastly different people. She couldn't help but stare at each of them in turn a while as they all started to show up. She had also been one of the first to arrive, ever impatient as she always was, and it had only been the arrival of more people that stopped her from already taking a look inside. Her curiosity would get the better of her eventually, and she knew it. The whole reason she agreed to be hired was because she so desperately wanted to see inside perhaps the largest fairy fountain in existence, even if it was old and corrupted... generally unpleasant in general.

    The Hylians didn't really hold her attention for very long however. She had seen many Hylians over her travels throughout Hyrule, and while admittedly, each one was incredibly different from the next, she always found herself staring at the more stranger races. Like the Goron, or the Rito. And right now, her eyes were trained on the darkly dressed Rito. He was incredibly different from any Rito she had ever seen, and given the opportunity, she would absolutely love to talk to him. As he started to speak however, a smile spread across her face as he introduced himself, and then a few others started introducing themselves as well.

    Right after Nicholas introduced herself, she stopped people watching and quickly walked over to the assembling group as fast as she could. In fact, she ran over so fast that her purse almost fell off of her shoulder, and she quickly caught it, and made sure it wouldn't fall off before she spoke up. A very giddy tone to her voice, her excitement oozing out into her words. "And my name is Areyal! It's so nice to meet all of you!" A wide smile spread across her lips, and she bounced in place. The only thing of hers that never left the ground at least once from her excited antics was her staff, which remained firmly on the ground.

    "I'm mage! Or uh, more specifically, and ice mage!" As if to prove her point, her staff suddenly started glowing blue in her hands. Without thinking, she pounded the ground with the staff. With a sudden gust of freezing air, which might have chilled anyone standing a little too close to her, the ground seemed to instantly freeze directly beneath her staff. She wasn't incredibly skilled with her staff in close combat, but anyone getting too close would definitely at the very least, lose a few fingers or toes.

    "I hope I can provide some assistance! I absolutely can not wait to go inside and see whats in there." Areyal gives a wide smile at everyone, all four of her eyes scanning the crowd of people for their reactions.
  6. Cataphractoi

    Cataphractoi Nanase is rebooting reg

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    "Tessa Smith, at yer service!" Tessa replied to Ni'Ran's query. "I mostly hit stuff. And spot traps. And get told to shut up, but I'm not very good at that last one, let's be honest here. Oh, hey, Fausty! I remember you. Maybe I'll get through this one with nothing broken! Pretty unusual, that."

    She grinned at Faust, bouncing up and down on her heels. Like Ni'Ran, she had been hired for this job. Frankly, it was a miracle she hadn't gotten lost on the way, but here she was. It was rare for her to work with such a large group, but she figured if someone hired this many people, there must be a reason for it. Was the place just that big? Were the inhabitants just that dangerous? Either way, this would probably be exciting. She looked forward to heading inside, but the others were still introducing themselves, so that'd have to wait.

    Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Nicholas furiously recording something in his book, glancing at her every few seconds. Yep, this'll be fun. Already have someone to mess with! Still grinned, she looked sidelong at the boy and wriggled her eyebrows, suggestively. Suggestively of what, well, that was up to him to decide. Tessa just wanted him to know he'd been caught, for now. The kid looked young- too young to flirt with seriously, if anyone could tell the difference- but she suspected it would be very easy to get him flustered and stuttering, and that was just as entertaining.

    That task done, she turned her attention to Areyal, who sounded almost as excited as Tessa was. Whoop!

    "Totally agree, Areyal! There's probably treasure and monsters and traps, and something really big to fight, and that's always the best part. And we even have doctor! How often does that happen?"
  7. Squishy

    Squishy tl;dr this is all, still, toko's fault admin

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    Lamont stood amidst the group, turning his head this way and that to take a look at his companions. Had the old man hired all of them? Some of them, like the Rito, looked like hardened adventurers. Others... not so much. Yet here they were, which must mean they all wanted to uncover what was inside the Fountain. Admiteddly, the gap-toothed Hylian was here mostly for the lure of treasure and promise of a reward. A monetary reward.

    The Rito was the first to speak, introducing himself and suggesting they pick a leader. The pirate nodded, but didn't immediately respond. Leadership was not really his forte.

    Then, he caught the tall dark Hylian next to him saying his name. A doctor, then? Lamont looked at him, head tilted. It was not such a bad idea to bring a doctor along. Although the man did look a little cross. Nerves? Or just an unfortunate neutral expression? It seemed wise not to press the man too much for now. The others were just as curious; a young Zora mage, a Hylian woman with red hair, and a Hylian boy... who was busy scribbling something in a book. Lamont watched them with interest, nodding as they all introduced themselves.

    "I'm Lamont." He raised his hand and gave an awkward little wave. "I, uh, do fighting, mostly."
  8. Blonde Panther

    Blonde Panther Not always sweet and delicate vet

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    "Alright then. Soooo..." Ni'Ran pointed from one person to the next, naming them one by one. "Areyal, Lamont, Faust, Tessa, and Nick. Should be simple enough to remember." They seemed like a colourful bunch, to say the least. Areyal and Tessa sounded like they had more enthusiasm than anything else, which was good. It meant Ni'Ran would have to spend so much less time keeping the group's spirits up, but on the other hand, he really hoped the girls could pull their weight in there. From the sounds of it, the fountain inside was definitely no playground. Faust, on the other hand, was clearly the strong, silent type. A doctor, huh? That was convenient. Aghan had been clever, hiring someone who could do some healing in case they ran into trouble. Lamont and Nick were harder to gauge. Inexperienced? Or just quiet? Well, they said they could do some fighting. They didn't have to be at the front of battle all the time. "So we've got an archer, a doctor, a mage, and a couple of frontline fighters," he summarized, as much to himself as to the others. "I'm fine with doing the heavy lifting if we run into any problems that need a sword to the face to solve."

    He'd noticed, however, that none of his companions for the day had volunteered to lead the group. Again, Ni'Ran couldn't look inside their heads; were they being modest, shy, or did they simply not consider themselves to have the leadership skills they thought they'd need? Well, it was certainly a nice change of pace. In past missions there had been massive arguments over who would be in charge. Smiling, he brought his left hand to the hilt of his sword, resting it there as he put his other hand in his side. "Seeing as nobody else seems to want to volunteer, I can take point today. I'm sure we all know this, but quick briefing:" he pointed his right thumb over his shoulder at the gate behind him. "Beyond that gate there is what people think was once a Fairy Fountain. Now, it's a den of death and despair, and it's up to us to figure out what happened and maybe reverse it if we can find the time. Payment will be settled by Aghan- or by your own inventiveness once we get inside."

    He turned, looking at the gate. It towered above the group, as intimidating as it must once have been impressive. "Faust, Areyal, since we suspect this was a Fairy Fountain, there might be magic lingering in there. Warn us if anything feels... weird. All Hylians with that funny sixth sense, keep it peeled. I've never been able to sense trouble and I suspect Areyal may lack that ability too. Tessa, Lamont, back me up; Areyal and Nick, stay behind Tessa and Lamont. Protect Faust and provide us support. We don't know what we'll find once we get in there." With those words, he drew his blade with a flourish, holding it in front of him with one hand as he turned to the gate fully.

    After giving the group a few seconds to get into formation, he walked towards the gate, stepping through it to enter the once-Fairy Fountain.
  9. Beefish

    Beefish DODONGO DISLIKES SMOKE. new

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    Map Floor 1 Update (open)
    [​IMG]


    The scent of death followed into a dark trail, leading the group of Adventurers through the shadows of the gate. Footsteps reverberate all around with unnatural echoes, to the point where it's hard to tell even how many people are walking into the mouth of the ruins.

    The darkness starts to spread thin, but the ill smell of bad food and sick, swamp-earth becomes ever thicker. Finally you find yourselves in what might be a kind of foyer.

    Rising out of the ground are four marbled pillars, overgrown with vines, but still reflecting a mysterious inner beauty in the strange, supernatural blue light which battles the night at the edges of the foyer by hanging in the air, glimmering weakly like a dying candle. The corners of the room are obscured by drifting shadows. Static, curved shapes peer out of darkened crannies. Untrustworthy tiles are cracked into the ground, inconsistent and patchy, providing nooks for stray weeds and dead grass where the patterns lack a stone.

    Between the four pillars is where you find the scent's origin. A perfectly circular depression in he floor, laid with white stones... brimming with a thick liquid the colour of corpses.

    The first layer of the fluid is translucent, appearing grey in the mystical blue-light, but beyond a few litres the pool becomes black with foul, decomposing sludge. It's not obvious how deep the pool might be by sight alone.

    Beyond the pond, directly north, is a huge door. It stands with solemn immunity to the weakening stink, winking with pearly opalescence in the low, murmuring light. From each end, a chain hangs in bitter resistance, held in place by an inexplicably large lock, implying that a key the size of a dagger might exist somewhere in the world.

    To the East and West each is an arch carved into the walls, adjacent to one another. They dare the courageous to go between them, each with a mist of black hiding whatever lies beyond.

    The whole room is harmonised by a veil of dust, settled together with a mould which extends from the centre pond.

    Hopeless silence permeates the atmosphere.

    Sense perk users
    You don't sense the presence of anything living in the room.
    Last edited: May 14, 2016
  10. Sinistrari

    Sinistrari Devious Grins & Hunter of Synonyms reg

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    Faust's face was still burning by the time Macho Feathers led the group into the fetid fountain. His jaw had only just started moving again, anxiously grinding on the stick of his lollipop. Being grinned at like that, with such pure, spirited excitement by Tessa had effectively stopped the doctor's heart for a brief moment back there. Thankfully the unwanted attention didn't last long. She switched targets to the poor kid and then the rest of the conversation had flowed naturally moments later, without any further input from a silently incinerating Faust.

    There were an odd bunch. Nicholas still seemed as inexperienced as the doctor was: much to his slightly sadistic amusement. Tessa of course as sprightly. The Zora, Areyal, appeared to be some sort of kindred spirit in the making with all her just as infectious joy. While Ni'Ran made up for all the social grace Lamont awkwardly lacked. Like I can talk.

    Nonetheless, at the Rito's very organised orders, Faust was left to stroll along in mostly just his own company at the end of the colourful entourage. At the very least the group had several different skill sets covered: it was almost balanced. The only thing the doctor could complain about really was his close proximity with the female Zora. Yet even then he was behind her and not in front of her - not subject to her immediate attention. Things could be worse. He hated to admit it, but he didn't really have that much to moan about right now.

    Apart from the stench.

    Brow and nose very visibly affected by a disgusted scrunch, Faust kept well away from the corrupted, central pool which he suspected to be the main offender. He glared at it with silent curiosity, debating whether it would be wise - or even worthwhile - to stick his finger in its rancid gloop but soon found his severe stare skirting around the rest of the room.

    Trying to bust through the locked door ahead of them felt like an extraordinary amount of an effort, that tired him to even think about. So he quickly crossed that option off before standing indecisively between the two ominously darkened archways, eyes flashing back and forth. Either way it didn't really seem to matter. No matter how long he spent thoughtfully scratching one finger at the base of his neck, they both appeared exactly the same.

    After a painfully loud clear of his throat, Faust decided some communication was in order.

    "So are we going for safety or speed?" He prompted, more directed at Ni'Ran than anyone else but would happily accept an answer regardless of the speaker. "Splitting up seems more trouble than it's worth, especially with no apparent form of communication between smaller groups, but it would likely be the quickest option to scout the whole place out. Regardless, we need to choose a door - well, archway."

    And I'm not going by myself, because death, so I'm going to see what you all do first and then follow. And if they did split? Then I'll just follow those I feel safest with. Who exactly Faust would feel safest with was a question worth pondering over though, and as a result his attention had already been distracted from his own words to silently eye up his companions once more.
  11. Gizmo95

    Gizmo95 That one nice but occasionally creepy guy. new

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    Once Ni'Ran took the role of leader Nicholas let his grin slip for a moment as he intently listened to orders. Ni'Ran's run down was quick and concise, a welcome change from overdrawn backstories often told in situations like these. His strategy was also very sound and Nicholas smirked and give a visible thumbs up when Ni'Ran mentioned the Sense some Hylians had. He moved into position with Areyal, acting as Faust's personal guard. Nicholas shot Faust a quick smile before looking forward and following the group in.

    The first thing that Nicholas noticed was the stench. He had smelt some foul things in his journey but he couldn't really describe what he was currently smelling. Once they were in what appeared to be a foyer Nicholas saw where the stench was coming from. A pool of the dirtiest water Nicholas had ever seen. It could hardly be called water with how disguising and putrid it looked. The large door past the pool was locked and Nicholas doubted anything but the locks key would allow them passage.

    At this point he heard Faust's questions and began to ponder it himself. If they played it safe it could easily take twice as long to properly explore. However, splitting could be dangerous if some hidden beasts or traps lay within. They only had one Doctor in Faust and the group who didn't get him would be at a large disadvantage. Nicholas decided to voice his final opinion. "Well, while there is safety in numbers I think traveling indoors with a large group can be just as dangerous, Faust. Less room to maneuver, friendly fire has a higher probability, and it could double the amount of time we are in here. I think we should split and just be extra cautious. I'm willing to split with the group if no one else wishes to." Nicholas knew he would rather not be alone in such an unknown and eerie place but wasn't afraid to do so if necessary. He honestly believed that a large group could be more of a hindrance than an advantage in such a place. He may be inexperienced compared to the others but he didn't lack the courage to make up for it. "I do have that 'funny' sixth sense to help me along, so don't worry too much about whether or not I can take care of myself." Nicholas added, he didn't want anyone joining him out of pity or believing he was helpless.
  12. Magnere

    Magnere Momentai vet

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    Areyal was more than happy to let the Rito take charge. He just seemed to have that commanding air about him. Even if she thought he was wrong, she wouldn't even consider arguing with him. Not that she thought he was wrong in commanding her and Tessa to protect Faust. In fact, she considered it a great idea. Tessa seemed like an absolutely incredible girl, just as excited as she was. Fighting side by side with her would be amazingly fun. She never really did consider herself much of a protector, or anything of the sort, but if that was her assigned role, then that was what she would do.

    Stepping inside, all of her eyes widened immensely. The place looked absolutely incredible! Run down, and old, and possibly even corrupted, but still incredible! All she could think about was how the place must have looked in its day. The shimmering bright white pillars, the sparkling pools of water, fairies flying all around. She almost got lost in her fantasy before the smell hit her, and she nearly gagged.

    The pool of water stank worse than anything she had ever smelled before, and her nose crinkled up in disgust. Her free hand covered her mouth and her nose, as if it would help her any. She felt like losing her lunch, but fortunately she hadn't actually ate anything that day. Before she entered, she had dreamt of magical fairy fountains where she could go swimming, and explore the secrets long since forgotten, but there was no way she was about to dive into a pool of that filth.

    As Faust spoke, the man she was supposed to protect, she turned around to smile at him. He didn't look too old, but not exactly too young either. She never really knew how to guess the age of Hylians, they all looked so different. The only thing she knew is that wrinkles and grey hair meant they were older. Nicholas seemed pretty young as well, and she turned to face him as he then spoke. Safety versus speed, was apparently the conversation topic going around.

    Turning back to face Faust, who started the conversation, she smiled as she spoke. "Well, as much as I would like to see everything as soon as possible, that would be a horrible idea to split up... Unless our two groups were balanced, then it might be a good idea. I honestly don't know! This is the largest group of people I've ever been with on an adventure like this!" Areyal couldn't help but giggle a little bit, she was just too excited for the horrible stench to bring her good mood down for too long.

    Smiling even wider, she bounced up and down again on her feet for a few seconds before she forced herself to stop. If she was supposed to be a member of this serious mission, she had to try and keep herself serious as well. Gripping her staff a little tighter, she just stood there, waiting for them to decide something.

    "I will say though... Just because I'm a Zora and can breathe underwater, I'd much prefer not to go swimming in... that." She points at the disgusting filth she hesitated to call water with her staff, and shivered a little bit. She was sure that if she even touched it, she would need to take a bath or something right away.
  13. Cataphractoi

    Cataphractoi Nanase is rebooting reg

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    Tessa fell in behind Ni-Ran without complaint, mostly just looking forward to going inside. Shield and sword at the ready, she paid attention to her instincts, 'listening' for danger, but it appeared the first room was safe. Well...that was a relative descriptor, really. That water was almost certainly poisonous or otherwise toxic. The air was stale and foul, probably bad enough to pose a health hazard on its own given enough time.

    The others started discussing which direction to go. She was tempted to weigh in, but at best she'd be picking at random. Which was fine! Except Ni-Ran would just overrule her with logic or something. Bah. Instead she decided to investigate the fountain itself.

    What in the world is in this? she thought, examining the waters. The long dead remains of a Great Fairy maybe? Gross. She couldn't think of anything else that would be sitting in there, though. This couldn't be what had poisoned the entire structure. It was too local. Unless something had spread it everywhere...maybe it was an extension of something's power, or a symptom of its usage. Some kind of corruption spell? Could magic even do that?

    She filed that one as a firm 'maybe' and snapped her mouth shut, realizing she had vocalized all of that. As usual. At least it hadn't been at full volume.

    Shrugging to herself, she kicked a loose piece of tile into the water, watching to see what happened. Momentarily, she wondered what would happen if she dipped her sword in, but...that was her only weapon. It was a cheap piece of shit, but it wouldn't be easily replaced in the middle of a dungeon. She'd just have to keep an eye out for a stick or something further in.
  14. Beefish

    Beefish DODONGO DISLIKES SMOKE. new

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    The tile floats on the surface of the water briefly, gliding like a promise before being swallowed into the dank ooze. It capsizes and soaks into the liquid, dragged down slowly by the force of the slime. The pool took no haste in devouring the stone, as though the languid haze above them all affected even the natural elements.

    After moments which seemed to hang helpless in the web of time, the tile descends into the unseen black sludge, disappearing into eternity.
  15. Squishy

    Squishy tl;dr this is all, still, toko's fault admin

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    Completely and absolutely dead. That would be how Lamont would describe the interior of the fountain. But could Great Fairies even die?

    The pirate wandered in along with the rest, eyes scanning his new surroundings. The first thing that hit him was the overwhelming stench of decay. He had seen a lot of disgusting and filthy places in his lifetime, but this had to be one of the most rank. If not the most.

    He jumped when Faust suddenly spoke up, whirling around to look at the group as they all gave their thoughts on splitting up. While Nicholas had a point that a smaller group would have an easier time maneuvering through the place- possibly, as no one seemed quite sure what they could expect beyond the archways- it seemed... unwise to send their only healer off with either one of the groups. Lamont turned his head, watching Tessa kick a piece of rubble into the sludge, frowning as it slowly sank into the thick, dark liquid. Yuck.

    Then he noticed the expectant silence around him, turning back to find the others waiting for input.

    "I don't know..." Lamont started, hesistantly. "It would make exploring faster, but what if one of the groups got in trouble? Although, I suppose, we could split up, check left and right, then regroup here?"
  16. Blonde Panther

    Blonde Panther Not always sweet and delicate vet

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    Ni'Ran counted himself lucky to have a beak for a nose. Judging from the faces his companions made, the scents in here were more foul and overwhelming than his lessened sense of smell could fully register. However, the sights of the dead Fairy Fountain were more than obvious to him- it looked like the place Great Fairies went to die. He tiptoed around the basin and the suspicious sludge that filled most of it, looking at the two doorways. "Splitting up is one thing," he said, "But no single one person will be going anywhere alone."

    He looked over the group again, trying to gauge everyone's value. "Tessa, Faust, and Nick, you three go left. Lamont, Areyal, you're with me." He turned to Faust, who seemed the most reliable of the other group. "Inspect the room and explore as far as you feel comfortable with. Should you hit a roadblock, either because of a dead end or because you feel it's not safe to go on with a small group any further, come back here and wait for us to do the same. Alright?"

    Getting Faust's confirmation, he turned to his own group. "Same goes for us. No hero business here. If it's not safe, we will turn back. Remember that our healer is with the other group."
  17. Sinistrari

    Sinistrari Devious Grins & Hunter of Synonyms reg

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    The opinions were split, as expected, but the voice of their nominated leader soon smoothed things over with a sure decision. Like the tile which had sunk, slowly submerged and swallowed whole over time into the damned depths of the fountain, the voices of the others were also lost: but Faust didn't feel like arguing the case of the opposition. He had wanted a certain answer and received one. That's all that mattered.

    One less female companion would've been nice but let's not push things. Besides, do you really want to admit that you have no balls, Faust? No? Exactly. So the doctor chewed silently on his headless lollipop stick and nodded an agreement at Ni'Ran. He would've given a vocal reply - in fact he nearly did - but somehow he felt like something along the lines of a 'Yes, Sir' would come off as very-...patronising, perhaps? No. Not that. In fact the effects had an opposite target. Barking out an acknowledgement of a supposed order made Faust feel a little sick inside in the most peculiar of ways. He wasn't part of a guard or mercenary unit and never would be. He didn't approve of feeling like a mutt. It tasted bitter. Must be the noble blood in me.

    So with voiceless acquiescence that still kept his pride in tact, Faust played to the 'command' which he liked the sound of. Besides, the quicker he got out of this room hopefully the faster he'd be rid of that horrid stench.

    He glanced towards Nicholas and Tessa with a cock of one eyebrow that motioned them to follow. It was something of an internal ordeal to actually pass into the room on the left however. Being swallowed by such an ominous darkness told Faust nothing of what was to come and as a result he was hesitant to walk so wilfully into it. But having a natural, slight limp was one thing and cowardice another altogether. He was a bit on the slow side, sure, but Faust didn't dawdle enough for people to eye him strangely.

    His jaw tensed and the teeth barred. Come on then. Show me what you're hiding.
  18. Beefish

    Beefish DODONGO DISLIKES SMOKE. new

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    Faust enters the West Wing.

    Map Floor 1 Update (open)
    [​IMG]


    You stand in the doorway to darkness, an ever-present glimmer lights the next room. It illuminates the shadows all around, and you get a better look at the composition of the room as you get closer.

    The faint, blue-purple light reflects over the walls with a pearl finish, crossed by dark waves of motion which flicker along the iridescent polish. The walls follow along in an 'L' shape, cutting off the other half of the room to the eye by a sharp corner. The floor before you comes to a fast stop, and drops into a deep abyss, the half-tiled, weedy platform you stand on is the only thing keeping you steady over the vast blackness.

    Between where you stand, and the other side of the hole, a collection of spinning objects are balanced in a vague path. They are made of stone, but are shaped like flowers, a mixture between nature and industry. They are spinning quickly, warping the air with motion.

    On the platform you stand upon is a large crystal, almost the height of a child. The supernatural light which floats on the ceiling caresses it dimly. Within the diamond-crystal is a strand of grey, pale and weakly shining.

    Sense Perk Users Please Click Here (open)
    There is danger sleeping in the room, somewhere in the other half, around the corner. You can feel the hostility perching from above.
    Last edited: May 24, 2016
  19. Gizmo95

    Gizmo95 That one nice but occasionally creepy guy. new

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    Nicholas was disappointed to hear how little support he had gotten in his idea to split up. Each person had practically stated they wanted safety in numbers. Except Tessa, Nicholas noted to himself, who decided to wander off a small ways away. After everyone had their say, Nicholas was glad to hear that Ni'Ran was all for splitting up. Though Nicholas was visibly annoyed when Ni'Ran added that no one person was going alone. It felt directed at him and whether or not it was intended, it felt condescending. Nicholas didn't exactly like authoritative figures because of this exact reason. They were often all talk and couldn't keep their word to those they swore to lead properly. Nicholas was glad, however, to have Faust with him and somewhat nervous about being together with Tessa. He wasn't too surprised that their 'leader' decided against making him in charge since he was the youngest even though he was the only one willing to make his own way alone. And when it came to finally departing he gave a mocking salute at Ni'Ran and a "Yes, Sir!" before following after his small team. His usually carefree smirk replaced with a scowl as he walked away.

    Once they had walked through nearly pitch black doorway a completely different room was presented to them. Nicholas was taken with a feeling of paranoia as they walked into the room. The giant crystal in front of them was very curious and the spinning platforms were a mystery of their own. He didn't want to touch anything without consulting with his team. "Thoughts?" Nicholas asked as he began to walk towards the edge and looked down into the dark abyss. "Long drop. With some rope we could try climbing down. Might be a way to stop those platforms. Or we could play with the pretty crystal here." He voiced his thought out loud as he turned around to face them. He looked at Tessa beside the crystal and thought that it was nowhere near in comparison to her beauty. While the crystal was dull, Tessa's fiery hair and sparkling green eyes shone with an equally spirited personality. At least he hoped so, he had very little to no interaction with her so far. He should say something. But what he should say was the problem. ‘Just don't make a fool of yourself!’ Nicholas thought to himself as he tried to build up the courage to say something. Not realizing that the whole time he tried to think of something to say he was admiring Tessa not so subtly.

    After a few minutes in the room his paranoia kicked into high gear and he visibly froze as he felt his Sense warn him of some kind of danger in the room. Nicholas turned back around and felt it coming from somewhere on the other side of the room. "There's something in here. Something dangerous." Nicholas said in a low voice just in case whatever caused his to Sense to alert him wasn't aware of them yet. He wasn't too sure where on the other side the danger was but he kept his eyes above their heads slightly longer than in the dark abyss below subconsciously.
  20. Magnere

    Magnere Momentai vet

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    So she was going to be in the group with Ni'Ran and Lamont? That definitely sounded like a good idea to her. The two seemed like capable warriors, just from a single glance. She had no doubts that the three of them could take on practically anything thrown their way... Unless a giant corrupted Great Fairy or something along those lines attacked them. Then they were pretty much screwed. Regardless, Areyal summoned her courage and nodded her head. "No hero business. Got it."

    Turning around, she figured she might as well take the lead into the next room. Sure, the other's melee skills probably dwarfed hers by several miles, but if something needed blasting apart... Or rather, freezing into pieces, that was her job. As far as she could tell, she was the only one with any offensive spells. Strange, considering the majority of the party was Hylians, and they were generally adept in the magical arts.

    With her staff glowing blue once more in her hands thanks to her Ice Enchantment, she watched as Faust led their group into the western doorway. Quickly turning around to face the other doorway, she carefully walked inside. She probably should have asked Ni'Ran if he wanted to go first, but she was getting ahead of herself. Her excitement dying out alot with all the stench, still did nothing to curb her curiosity.

    OOC (open)
    Sorry for taking so long guys! It's been a strangely rough past couple of days.