Complete Private Hearth

Fiora Di Angelo · Nov 15, 2023

{ The Red Fever has a thing for bugs. I just hope we don't have a kuurungar mother waiting for us outside. } She wished that could be called a joke, but with her eye indirectly going back to the door their bug friend just left from, it was hard not to feel some form of pressure from the unknown. Even know they can listen to all their footsteps, to the wings fluttering across the air, her head suddently yanking up as a loud thud announced one of them landing on the roof.

{ The fever ends a kilometer or so from here. These things won't chase us any further into the woods. } A phenomenon that worked in their favour, and was one of their only options besides gutting through everything in the camp. Nodding her head to the side, Fiora begun to walk over towards the kitchen's exit, careful not to overstep nor to touch any of the fallen pots and pans laying about the floor, only then paying attention to the scabbard against her hip. { Swords are pointless when you trying to cut through cyborg bugs with steel and chitin. } It was a relief to see Blonde at least carried tools that fared very well against armor like that, { With how well you claim to know me, I'm surprised you don't know I keep weapons to limit myself. } She mused, yet it wasn't like her to share that kind of information, so it made sense.

But then, neither everything else Blonde knew...

A quiet 'Tsk' broke through her monotony, as not eve elven traits could keep her from smiling in complete amusement. { Still going about that huh- } Her smirk cut short as soon as she pulled the door open and had to hold onto it as it came off from it's hinges, threatening to let every insectoid in the camp about the two hot elves near their area.

The sight within the communal hall is what made her face contort severely, as they had gotten themselves right into the same building pierced by a gigantic fungi, the vines crawling across the floor extending from the large gap at the epicenter of it from bottom to top of the structure. Safe to say, the wood splinters and spoiled, rotten meals were scattered all across from what had been the last for many, and the unsightly presence of half-rotten carcasses shows some suffered instantly from this devouring, intrusive mushroom.

{ Just our luck... } It gave a direct entrance to the depths for them to safely slide and climb down from, her golden eye finding more than one exit present through the cracked walls and the torn in half buildilng itself. and yet she felt the decision wasn't hers to take, as even when the sacrifices were condemned, something about how Blonde reacted to them made her believe it was a cold shoulder she couldn't just give to others.

Foolish to a fault, but at the same time the one reason why she never felt threatened despite giving the ranger her back: She could lower her guard and trust an arrow won't make it through when she least expects it. Safety that was hard to come by and trust that's even harder to grant. A gem of a trait within this hellish landscape.

{ On one hand, we got a bunch of 'em over here on the surface. On the other... This just leads us deeper into the colony. } She paused, slowly resting the door upon one of the remaining tables like it were made out of glass to avoid any loud noises. { So what will it be, Ranger? } Her eye squinted, sharp like a blade and just as ready to judge, yet holding back any form of bias towards their options.

❰ ❰ Player Sheet ❱

@Blonde

Luthien · Nov 16, 2023

A cold shiver crossed her spine as Fiora mentioned the Kurungaar Mother. She’d heard the tales from others, including Yugam, and one thing was certain—Lúthien had been forever glad she’d joined right after that “tutorial” had been completed. { Yeah, it’d be nice if that never happened. } If only she were so lucky, but a part of the ranger was certain it was a matter of if but rather when... a thought she was content to never voice outward, less it manifested the one thing she wished to avoid.

She didn’t like the options available; stay at camp and survive the night, or run for the forest and survive whatever the fuck lived there all night too. { I was joking earlier when I said you dreamt up TS’ version of Australia… but damn, my guess was more spot on than I thought. } She couldn’t deny the greenette’s words carried some truth to the usefulness of steel against these creatures, but somehow it felt like something would be better than nothing when push comes to shove.

Still she trusted Fiora’s judgment, after all this version of her had been dealing with the dangers within this nightmare for who knew how long, and she’d survived this far… whatever the elf was doing had kept her alive long enough for Lúthien to find her.

The soft tsk had earned itself a cheeky grin back from the blonde, before her face contorted to one of disgust as her hands flew to cover her nose and mouth. The stench that wafted into their room once Fiora had accidentally removed the door from its hinges almost overwhelmed Lúthien’s sensitive senses, and the ranger found herself fighting back the bile that threatened to rise up her throat and spill onto the floor around them.

Last thing they needed was for her wretching to bring a swarm of those insectoids towards them, especially after narrowly dodging a fucking Ifritgear.

It took a few moments before the blonde’s senses finally began to calm down and acclimate to the essence of putrid corpses and whatever unholy abominations those fungi were made from, making sure to keep the tattered cloak Fiora had given her as tightly wrapped along her nose and mouth as possible. The scene that awaited her within the mess hall was nothing like the happy memories Lúthien had of her time there, a myriad of conflicting emotions crossing those bright crimson jewels before she finally tore her gaze away from the remains to look back at Fiora.

{ We’ve just seen how unstable the ground above is… and from what I could see up on the wall there aren't a lot of places for us to hide as we move along the camp. } Part of her was glad they were using telepathy as their main source of communication now, she doubted her voice would’ve been stable enough after witnessing the leftover carnage in this place. { Much as I hate the eau de toilette they chose for their colony… I think it’ll be safer to cross camp using whatever underground system they’ve built. }

Part of her hoped it reassembled the tunnels ants were known to make, and that keeping to the upper layers of it proved to be a secure method of traveling for the girls. { Let’s be real, I highly doubt they’re queenless… but hopefully she keeps to the deepest part of this cesspool. } The thought of a Kurungaar Szofrit crossed her mind for a fraction of a second, before the blonde was quick to ball up and stuff that thought into the darkest recesses of her mind—this nightmare was already terrible enough, she didn’t need to fuel it further.

{ The Commander’s tent was in... } A hand instinctively reached for her backpocket, surprised to find the small brass compass Yugam had gifted her so long ago in the same place she’d always kept it. The lid popped open once she pressed the crown, a thumb brushing softly over the familiar inscription hidden inside, before the ranger figured out where they were. { … that direction. }

❰ Player Sheet ❱

Fiora Di Angelo · Nov 17, 2023

Given Blonde's reaction to the Kuruungar, Fiora could only ponder if she actually fought side-by-side with her, or if it was hearsay that spread about the monstrosity. Regardless, the sentiment was mutual.

{ No dream talk or I'll drag you to the bugs. Focus or else we'll end up as dinner. } She retorted with a bittersweet smirk before sending a light jab at Blonde's left arm, reminding her how real a pinch could feel in this 'dream' as she kept calling it.

No sooner than that, karma struck the ranger, almost making her feel bad once their stomach revolted to the new sensations they both were blasted with. While she was used to it, Blonde herself didn't seem too used to the rotten stench coming straight from the colony's depths. Reaching out with one hand, Fiora held onto one of Blonde's shoulders in order to keep her steady.

{ It ain't a bad idea. But well, we have to take risks no matter where we go, I just hope we don't get lost down there. One wrong road and we might find out whose the queen bee. } She replied as she rubbed a hand across Blonde's back, trying to comfort her a little while the dizziness goes away. { Hold that thought until we get down there, we gonna need to orient ourselves a little. } Giving an eyeful to the compass as to get a better grasp of where the hell they are standing at, Fiora finally stepped away from the ranger and closer towards the gigantic mushroom, giving a peek to the void that awaited them beneath and the growing branches that were reminiscent of a tree moreso than fungi.

{ To hell we go... }

Holding onto one of the entangled roots, Fiora gave a firm, testing tug to it. A glance down hit her with vertigo; Past the hundreds of intertwined roots and veins, one could only see an endless spiral to reach the base of the mushroom's trunk. The many bridges built from with branches and thin layers of vines made it clear this was a path designed for the Ifritgears, capable to attach themselves to surfaces and fly unlike themselves.

The silence deafens their ears. Luthien could feel how the earth breathes despite how desolate their descent seemed to be. There was not a soul present, yet the mushroom and this very pit seemed... Alive- As if they were intruding within a body's nerveous system, and these very roots the greenette used to cross this side of the abyss to the other were part of said body.

Even the muted environments felt like they held a rhythm akin to a beating heart's.

{ Look at how deep this thing goes. It's even further down than the party we crashed earlier. } And that was no lie, not with a memory as fresh as hers on the distance between themselves and a horde of flesh-eating insects. { Who knows, maybe you can share a bed with the bugs, see if you can wake up from your dream that way. } A cheshire smile flashed her fangs back to the ranger as she sent the 'liana' back to Blonde...

The Artery's Descent

Roll a Mastery Check within reason with your Main Action to increase the objective score and descend deeper into the abyss. Every 200 points, the group will have the option to take a path through the Colony's tunnels or keep descending. After 3-4 Cycles have passed, if the end hasn't been reached or a path wasn't chosen, an event will occurr.

After rolling a Mastery Check, you must also roll a 1d6 Complication Dice (Concept not stolen from Chanlye

). If you roll the same complication as the last cycle, Reroll until you don't:

You step close to a cluster full of toxic fungi. They wiggle and react to your proximity, exploding and smearing the area with fumes. Take 3d20 Damage and 1d3 Poison Stacks . Roll a DC 75 Fortitude Save to reduce the damage and reduce the amount of poison stacks you get by half (Or none if you rolled 1)
The vines you step on are unstable, breaking as soon as you step onto them. Roll a DC 75 Reflex Save to avoid falling a few levels below, causing 2d20 Damage and knocking you Prone. While Prone, you can use a Bonus Action or have someone else use a Bonus Action to help you back up safely.
You were careless, stepping and/or brushing your hands across very, very sharp edges. The unnatural rock formations from The Arteries cut through your skin like it were made out of paper, causing 2d20 Damage and applying 1d7 Bleed Stacks. Roll DC 100 Fortitude/Reflex Save to lose all stacks. If you fail to meet it, every 20 will remove 1 stack.
There is pressure coming from this place, but you can't tell if it's simply the Artery's effect on you, or the dream itself. Whatever the case, it's enough to take a toll on your mind. You gain 1 stack of 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗶𝗮.
You find a nest full of unknown, white eggs plastered with red stains. They move and seem ready to hatch at any moment. Choose to lose your Bonus Action for the next Cycle in order to pass by undetected or run by and risk hatching the eggs. Once hatched, an horde of flesh-eating ants will rapidly hop onto you, causing 3d20 damage and giving you 1 stack of Slow.
You reroll (this time without rerolling should you fall on a Complication you already rolled). Should both players roll a 6, an unique encounter will happen.

[ 0/??? ]

❰ ❰ Player Sheet ❱

@Blonde

Luthien · Nov 19, 2023

The jab to her arm, light as it had been, had still caused the ranger to stumble a few steps in response before a hand rose to soothe the spot. She’d almost forgotten how very opposite their physiques were, the interactions between them now almost nonexistent, and she couldn’t help the bittersweet smile that pulled her lips.

Her little trip down memory lane had been cut abruptly by the wave of nausea that assaulted her, though she was thankful for the soothing touch that Fiora provided as it slowly dissipated. The soft circles on her back offered Lúthien a way to ground herself, giving the elf enough time to gather her composure, before finally straightening up with a nod towards the greenette. { Thanks… I’m alright now. }

There was clearly something wrong with them as the girls accepted their fate as if it was just another Tuesday in their lives, both knowing that the path forwards would be riddled with unexpected—and probably deadly—hurdles… but it was better than remaining stuck here forever.

She crouched beside Fiora as the woman tested the integrity of the entangled roots, an involuntary shiver crossing Lúthien’s shoulders as suppressed memories threatened to surface, before her gaze shifted further into the space they could see. A way to find our path within this maze… She closed her eyes for a moment, brows furrowed as the blonde thought long and hard, before a surprised ‘o’ shape formed on her lips as an idea sparked to life.

That same ethereal glow flickered back into her sight after a few moments of intensely glaring into the putrid expanse, the strain to her senses compounding with every passing moment. She wanted to blink and look away almost immediately, but the ranger persevered despite the discomfort, and eventually her tenacity was rewarded as a faint crimson thread flickered into view.

Gotcha! A hand reached for something only her eyes could see before taking firm hold of it, the triumphant smile on her face impossible to miss as she turned towards the greenette. { I know where to go, follow me—FUCK!}

It almost proved to be her downfall as the sole of her boot slipped on the vines, before the blonde’s instincts kicked in to avoid an unwanted free fall into the possible lap of their mysterious ant queen. Her free hand quickly caught onto a sturdy root, shifting the elf’s trajectory before she somersaulted into the questionable safety of a nearby ledge.

{ Okay, maybe don’t follow me step by step... but we need to keep going down this tunnel.} Her left hand still held onto something invisible to the naked eye, and if Fiora took a moment to check herself after the ranger’s impromptu feats of acrobatics she would’ve found the same shimmering light that adorned Lúthien’s eyes faintly covering her once more.

A shield to hopefully ward any misfortune this place might try to bring down onto her friend.

❰ Player Sheet ❱

❰ Artery's Descent ❱
1d100 (18) + 25 + 10 + 10 = 63

+10 from Fallen tag
+10 from Dreamwalker
Astramancy | Luthien | Hearth

❰ BA: Shield ❱
Mitigate 15 incoming DMG to @Fiora Di Angelo.
Astramancy | Luthien | Hearth

❰ Complication: Wrong Step ❱
1d6 (2) = 2
Luthien | Hearth

❰ Reflex Save ❱
1d100 (16) + 75 + 15 = 106
Reflex | Luthien | Hearth
❰ Success! ❱
Thank the Alfather...! :anxious:

Fiora Di Angelo · Dec 2, 2023

Fiora crossed her arms against her chest, watching over as Blonde's eyes begun to shine in a familiar colour, expecting her to conjure astramancy once again like last time. The greenette offered her silent approval at that idea, given this would be a matter of gravity, and the ability to defy it would certainly play in their favour. Her eye couldn't widen any bigger, yet her body lagged for a moment as the impossible happened and Blonde begun to tilt dangerously close towards a freefall without a parachute.

"LUTH!" She shouted, already beginning to close the distance as she traversed across one thin line of vines. Having no armor played in her favour once again, as she could use the full extent of her mobility in a situation like this.

Even so, her body felt strangely accelerated. Crossing to a fleshy pile of branches that formed a pillar for her to stand on, she realized how the adrenaline didn't seem to wash off as she set her sights straight on the ranger, watching her sommersault her way to safety. Sweat ran down as if she's been sprinting for hours, even if only seconds had passed, her body suffering a whiplash it didn't moments earlier. Her balance waned, her arms stretching out to the ground as she clinged onto the roots in an attempt to keep herself steady.

What..?

Has the ranger always been tanned..? Or is the ever-growing darkness as they begin to crawl deeper down this stairway to hell, and the Red Fever itself, finally eroding her mind to dust? Recalling her last memory of how Blonde looked only pictured her much more... Different. Seconds passed, and Fiora felt ready to throw up the last meal she never had, feeling a sudden cold at the sightings of an avatar that should have been six feet under the earth already.

Wasn't Luthien also a ranger..? Didn't she just call her that before?

{ Okay, maybe don't follow me step by step... but we need to keep going down this tunnel. }

The shimmer around her form sparkled some color to the monochrome her golden eye found itself staring at, an escape from the thousand yard stare she locked herself into. { I...- Fuck, yeah we have. The sooner we get out of here the better. } She took a deep breath, her hold on the branches loosening once she felt her senses return and whatever had just overwhelmed her settle down a little. Enough for her to push onwards, at least.

{ I don't think these are meant for us two. We should try to stay close but not on the same floor, else we are heading straight to the bottom...} Gauging the distance, it's clear even now she couldn't make the jump across to where Luthien is. Not like that was her plan in the first place. { See all these clusters full of branches? They gotta be the most stable ground we have. } She pointed them out, before trailing her finger across some of the ledges that connected to the rest of the branches heading downwards. { Let's try not to go jumping down, maybe we can walk these all the way to the next platforms. }

The Artery's Descent

Roll a Mastery Check within reason with your Main Action to increase the objective score and descend deeper into the abyss. Every 200 points, the group will have the option to take a path through the Colony's tunnels or keep descending. After 3-4 Cycles have passed, if the end hasn't been reached or a path wasn't chosen, an event will occurr.

After rolling a Mastery Check, you must also roll a 1d6 Complication Dice. If you roll the same complication as the last cycle, Reroll until you don't:

You step close to a cluster full of toxic fungi. They wiggle and react to your proximity, exploding and smearing the area with fumes. Take 3d20 Damage and 1d3 Poison Stacks . Roll a DC 75 Fortitude Save to reduce the damage and reduce the amount of poison stacks you get by half (Or none if you rolled 1)
The vines you step on are unstable, breaking as soon as you step onto them. Roll a DC 75 Reflex Save to avoid falling a few levels below, causing 2d20 Damage and knocking you Prone. While Prone, you can use a Bonus Action or have someone else use a Bonus Action to help you back up safely.
You were careless, stepping and/or brushing your hands across very, very sharp edges. The unnatural rock formations from The Arteries cut through your skin like it were made out of paper, causing 2d20 Damage and applying 1d7 Bleed Stacks. Roll DC 100 Fortitude/Reflex Save to lose all stacks. If you fail to meet it, every 20 will remove 1 stack.
There is pressure coming from this place, but you can't tell if it's simply the Artery's effect on you, or the dream itself. Whatever the case, it's enough to take a toll on your mind. You gain 1 stack of 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗶𝗮.
You find a nest full of unknown, white eggs plastered with red stains. They move and seem ready to hatch at any moment. Choose to lose your Bonus Action for the next Cycle in order to pass by undetected or run by and risk hatching the eggs. Once hatched, an horde of flesh-eating ants will rapidly hop onto you, causing 3d20 damage and giving you 1 stack of Slow.
You reroll (this time without rerolling should you fall on a Complication you already rolled). Should both players roll a 6, an unique encounter will happen.

[ 154/??? ]

❰ Player Sheet ❱

❰ 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆'𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 ❱
1d100 (61) + 25 + 15 = 101
Martial Arts | Fiora Di Angelo | Hearth Descent

❰ Shield ❱
Mitigate 15 incoming damage to @Luthien
Fiora Di Angelo

❰ 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟰: 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗶𝗮 ❱
1d6 (4) = 4
Complication Hearth

@Luthien

Luthien · Nov 20, 2023

"Ahahahaaa…" An apologetic half laugh slips through her lips once the ranger is safe and sound, chalking the troubled look on Fiora’s face to be out of concern for the blonde’s safety. { Sorry ‘bout that, got a bit too excited for a moment… won’t happen twice. }

The left arm still remains holding onto something that the greenette can’t see, but she nods affirmatively at Fiora’s telepathic words. { Agreed, don’t wanna be here for a second longer than needed… this place gives me the creeps. } Fiora’s remarks cause the blonde to finally look away from the red thread she’s unwilling to let go and take a better look of the ground they’re stepping on, their brittle state only now registered.

{ Yeah, this whole place is a fucking death trap… oh! } A thought crossed her mind then before her gaze shifted back to Fiora, seemingly judging the distance that separates them at the moment. It’s gonna be a challenging feat to keep up with but not impossible… and she’s always found magic manipulation to be slightly easier within dreams.

She wraps the red string around her palm a few times in the hopes of not losing concentration of it, before the blonde closes her eyes and focuses. Her breathing is steady at first, slow inhales that lead to soft exhales as she slowly pinpoints the faint air drafts within the tunnels. The air is slowly shifted and willed towards her, a verdant breeze now gathering at both of their feet while Lúthien’s brows furrowed in concentration.

It keeps their steps light and springy against the questionable infrastructure the insectoid demons have created down here, and the blonde can’t help the cheeky grin on her lips as she looks in Fiora’s direction. { It won’t last long… but this should make things easier for a lil’bit at least. } She turns to look at the red string again, before pointing out the direction they should take to the greenette.

Everything seems to go well at first, until the sound of scurrying causes the elf to press closer to the wall for cover. She failed to see the small cluster of fungi in the corner until the heel of her boot sunk into one, before a cloud of spores engulfed the ranger fully. The cloak is tightly pressed against her face as she struggles to breathe, but it proves to be ineffective at keeping the poison out of her system with every raspy inhale the blonde takes.

❰ Player Sheet ❱

❰ Artery's Descent ❱
1d100 (46) + 25 + 10 + 10 = 91

+10 from Fallen tag
+10 from Dreamwalker
Aeromancy | Luthien | Hearth

❰ BA: Shield ❱
Mitigate 15 incoming DMG to @Fiora Di Angelo.
Astramancy | Luthien | Hearth

❰ Complication: Toxic Fungi ❱
1d6 (1) = 1
Luthien | Hearth

❰ DMG & Poison Stacks ❱
3d20 (6 + 13 + 2) = 21
1d3 (3) = 3
Luthien | Hearth

Receives 21 DMG & x3 Poison Stacks

❰ Fortitude Save ❱
1d100 (2) + 0 = 2
Fortitude | Luthien | Hearth

❰ Failure! ❱
No DMG or poison stack mitigation.

Fiora Di Angelo · Nov 19, 2023

{ Can't say I'm very excited about climbing down a colony infested with demon bugs, but hey, you got Explorer material if smelling rotten eggs and meeting death is your thing. } A smirk followed, fading soon after as they both had to address the elephant of the room: Their descent.

She squinted, trying to get a look at where they should move next, if only to minimize unsuspected surprises, her eye tracing back to Blonde as the woman had an idea spark, both in her face as much as in her voice. Magic was once again proven to be one of Blonde's strong points, as a breeze begun to flow from all directions, letting her hairs willow before it all suddently concentrated onto their feet.

"Interesting..." She muttered unconciously, walking around to give a few trying steps to this newfound sponginess before looking back to the ranger with a tingle of concern. { Don't exhaust yourself, alright? If either of us falls, we rely on your masteries to save our skin. } She lamented having no means to assist here, but given how unstable the infrastructure of this place was, there is no surface she can attach a hook on or practice any basic hiking strategy.

The Aeromancy trick certainly helped to mimic the way Ants and insects could so easily walk upon thin surfaces without a doubt. Not a single root would shatter nor twig or branch. Luthien had, by all means, found a balance similar to the insectoids used to climb around.

At least until they reached a point in where overconfidence begun to bite down on them, with the mist puffing near the ranger sending Fiora into a wide-eyed stare, quick to jump down and try to cut the distance with the other elf until she found way too many eggs on her path. Eggs that were fairly alive, given the way they shook in response to the vibrations caused by her sprinting about.

Her eye shuffled between the eggs and the Ranger, careful but sluggish steps done to avoid irritating the babies's sleep, and consequently making her arrive a little too late as she jumped up to a branch, holding onto it and swinging herself to the other side, just a few feet away from the mist and Blonde herself.

"Come over, I'll catch you!" She stretched her hands outwards, in order to at least grant her some safety. Gods know what that mist carried, but it's clear they needed a little break. "If you feel nauseous or anything, you can try holding that spell and I'll carry us both. It's no big deal for me, I got muscle to spare." She suggested, far from wanting to be useless in a situation like this. If they could be as light as a feather, then it might be doable, afterall.

Not so far from them, luck had finally struck true as a large hole revealed a rather intimidating pathway, not so different to what they have faced but far more solid given the stone beneath the roots promised safety from The Artery. Yet the pitch black, and the lack of a whistle from the winds made it clear this could either go deeper, or be yet another path to unravel in their way back to the commander's tent. The red string Luthien was adamant on holding seemed to point in it's direction... Only to then steer downwards, to the bottom, and willow with the power of her aeromancy and aim elsewhere, not so vertically but towards one of the walls, where not so far away yet another of these holes on the stone walls of the Artery allowed for an escape.

Only, they also gave no clue to where it leads, the tunnels are uncharacteristic beyond what they already seen and smelled, at the very least this one is.

{ Pull up that compass, do you remember where the Commander's Tent was at? } She didn't want to say she forgot about it, as her own mind already felt the pressure of memories tearing apart and simply poofing, as if they had never happened instead. It made her anxious, given it couldn't have been -that- long since they begun to climb down, and yet it felt like... Hours. Days, even. { These tunnels... They could spiral down or up, and go guess which leads where in this Colony. It's not like they store everything in one place like real bugs do. }

The Artery's Descent

Roll a Mastery Check within reason with your Main Action to increase the objective score and descend deeper into the abyss. Every 200 points, the group will have the option to take a path through the Colony's tunnels or keep descending. After 3-4 Cycles have passed, if the end hasn't been reached or a path wasn't chosen, an event will occurr.

After rolling a Mastery Check, you must also roll a 1d6 Complication Dice. If you roll the same complication as the last cycle, Reroll until you don't:

You step close to a cluster full of toxic fungi. They wiggle and react to your proximity, exploding and smearing the area with fumes. Take 3d20 Damage and 1d3 Poison Stacks . Roll a DC 75 Fortitude Save to reduce the damage and reduce the amount of poison stacks you get by half (Or none if you rolled 1)
The vines you step on are unstable, breaking as soon as you step onto them. Roll a DC 75 Reflex Save to avoid falling a few levels below, causing 2d20 Damage and knocking you Prone. While Prone, you can use a Bonus Action or have someone else use a Bonus Action to help you back up safely.
You were careless, stepping and/or brushing your hands across very, very sharp edges. The unnatural rock formations from The Arteries cut through your skin like it were made out of paper, causing 2d20 Damage and applying 1d7 Bleed Stacks. Roll DC 100 Fortitude/Reflex Save to lose all stacks. If you fail to meet it, every 20 will remove 1 stack.
There is pressure coming from this place, but you can't tell if it's simply the Artery's effect on you, or the dream itself. Whatever the case, it's enough to take a toll on your mind. You gain 1 stack of 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗶𝗮.
You find a nest full of unknown, white eggs plastered with red stains. They move and seem ready to hatch at any moment. Choose to lose your Bonus Action for this Cycle in order to pass by undetected or run by and risk hatching the eggs. Once hatched, an horde of flesh-eating ants will rapidly hop onto you, causing 3d20 damage and giving you 1 stack of Slow.
You reroll (this time without rerolling should you fall on a Complication you already rolled). Should both players roll a 6, an unique encounter will happen.

[ 365/??? ]

❰ Player Sheet ❱

❰ BA: Dodge Eggs ❱
I dodged the eggs, d'uh

❰ Artery Descent ❱
1d100 (80) + 25 + 15 = 120
Martial Arts (Descent) | Fiora Di Angelo | Hearth

❰ Complication: Eggs ❱
1d6 (5) = 5
Complication Gacha

Luthien · Nov 20, 2023

{ Nah, they’re not dumb enough to advertise the nitty gritty when roping in the new recruits. } A smirk pulls at her lips despite her words, it isn’t hard to see that deep down the blonde adores the League—even if the work is downright disgusting at times, not to mention dangerous. { It’s all about explore the unknowns and be the first one to see X thing, but they conveniently forget to mention it all smells like ass and almost everything on the way wants to kill ya. }

Not too different from this nightmare if Lúthien took a moment to think about it.

Sure enough something almost did, the ranger struggling to breathe as she gasped for air. The thick cloud of spores made it hard for any air to actually fill her lungs, sending the blonde into a fit of coughing that she desperately tried to muffle out by pressing the tattered cloak and her gloved hand firmly against her mouth.

"Come over, I'll catch you!" She allows the voice of her friend to guide her steps as Lúthien finally steps out of the toxic cloud, barely able to see through the tears that try to soothe her irritated eyes with little success. There’s comfort in the touch her friend provides as Lúthien closes the distance between them, a feeling of safety washing over and allowing the elf to focus instead on the problem at hand.

The metallic taste that lingers in her tongue isn’t a welcomed one, and the ranger knows it spells nothing but trouble if she tries to let this poison run its course naturally. "I’ll t-take you up on t-that offer for a bit, F-Fio…" Her voice is hoarse and weak, raspy breaths barely providing her with enough oxygen to speak. She entrusts her livelihood to the greenette, putting her faith in the abilities of the older woman, before the blonde closed her eyes as she focused on two things only: keeping their steps light as feathers, and getting rid of the toxic spores that lingered in her airway and tainted her blood.

It wasn’t long before Fiora’s steps brought them to a crossroads of sorts, though it was hard to gauge the lapse of time within the depths of the colony. Already the dream had proved to her once before that the passage of time was all but relative within this realm, and she had since opted—perhaps unwisely—to not question it further. { Let me check… } Her right hand brings out the brass compass from its place of safekeeping, before the elf frowns upon seeing the way it continues to spin and spin… as if something was interfering with it, though she can only guess what—or who—that might be.

"Fuck…" A frustrated whisper left her lips before her eyes focus on the red string she’s been holding onto with so much faith and fervor, hoping beyond hope that it can be the answer to all of their questions. Instead it seems to add more, her gaze flickering from one option to the other and back, before a faint sigh escaped as the elf pointed with her right hand towards the first of the two openings.

"This one…" It’s all the words she can muster out without unraveling into another coughing fit, before she pressed her forehead against Fiora’s nape to thwart the splitting headache that threatens to take over and disrupt her magical efforts.

The rhythmic sway of Fiora’s back as the greenette walked had dulled her senses, the only warning afforded being a sharp shift and almost knee jerk reaction of the sturdier elf before her right arm and shoulder slammed against the wall. A sharp hiss of pain escaped Lúthien as the blonde bit the inside of her cheeks, the thought of a cluster of ifritgears suddenly swarming towards them being the only thing that kept the ranger from crying out loud.

{ What the fuck—! } She jerked to the left and away from the spiked wall, the initial surprise soon overrode by concern as her gaze turned to look at the back of Fiora’s head. { Everything okay? }

Had something startled the greenette? Maybe her concentration had faltered for a moment and caused their weight to increase, a mistake that could’ve easily spelled disaster for them both as they traversed these tunnels…

❰ Player Sheet ❱

❰ BA: Cure ❱
(1 + 2) = x3 Poison Stacks cured.
Luthien | Hearth

❰ Artery's Descent ❱
1d100 (92) + 25 + 10 + 10 = 137

+10 from Fallen tag
+10 from Dreamwalker
Aeromancy | Luthien | Hearth

❰ Complication: Jagged Edges ❱
1d6 (3) = 3
Luthien | Hearth

❰ DMG Roll ❱
2d20 (16 + 15) = 31
Luthien | Hearth

Receives 31 DMG & ~~x7 Bleed Stacks~~

❰ Reflex Save ❱
1d100 (56) + 75 + 15 = 146
Reflex | Luthien | Hearth

❰ Success! ❱
All bleed stacks are removed.

Fiora Di Angelo · Nov 20, 2023

She begun to hope that the Blonde could be as resilient as all those thrillseekers in the Explorer's were, now more than ever as the woman before her crumbled from that previous confidence, hurrying to pick her up and set her on her back. "Hang on, I got you now." Fiora sighed off, forced now to take a slower pace.

The descent felt almost eternal like this, and yet they couldn't slack off as every step could mean death should either of them fall, and in this case it would certainly be both. Her legs begun to grow numb, tense muscles certainly spoke of a tomorrow full of pain if they ever made it out alive, and on top of that her lungs begun to close, making every step forth a struggle. She felt like choking, as every mouthful of air didn't help her whatsoever, and praying for a second wind became futile.

Finally her body begun to give in, as she stumbled to the side and crushed the both of them against the sides of the Artery, having her snap her eye open once again, kneeling down before they could keep on moving. Apparently the crash didn't wake herself up only...

{ No... I think I caught some of whatever you got, I feel like a truck rolled me over... } Gritting her teeth, her body begun to warm up the both of them as every vein in her body thickened in an instant, magic washing over her as the flames that formed on her hands, faint as they were, begun to spread across her body before vanishing. It left her a sore, panting mess as she stumbled back up to her feet, setting herself straight before she could finally let some putrid air into her lungs yet again- Better than no air at all.

"Sorry... It won't happen again." Deadly serious about it as she peeked over her shoulder to check on Blonde and her newfound wounds, frowning with great concern and guilt. "I'll get you patched up once we get a moment to stop. Not ideal to do so when we are tip-toeing with death." The fact they were still awake after all this sure proved that much, and yet they were far from over.

Finally they arrived to one of the tunnels the String planned to lead them through, and even if it still didn't follow this course, it was yet another of the many possibilities they had to get out. Yet that's pretty obvious, as the tunnel itself stretches far into a corridor that leads one to guess what awaits in it. This time, however, @Luthien would be able to catch up a difference with the last one...

There was a faint light at the end of it. Hard to say if it's 'the end of a tunnel' or not.

"What do you think..? Want to take this one... Or keep going down? You're the boss here, Blonde."

The Artery's Descent

Roll a Mastery Check within reason with your Main Action to increase the objective score and descend deeper into the abyss. Every 200 points, the group will have the option to take a path through the Colony's tunnels or keep descending. After 3-4 Cycles have passed, if the end hasn't been reached or a path wasn't chosen, an event will occurr.

After rolling a Mastery Check, you must also roll a 1d6 Complication Dice. If you roll the same complication as the last cycle, Reroll until you don't:

You step close to a cluster full of toxic fungi. They wiggle and react to your proximity, exploding and smearing the area with fumes. Take 3d20 Damage and 1d3 Poison Stacks . Roll a DC 75 Fortitude Save to reduce the damage and reduce the amount of poison stacks you get by half (Or none if you rolled 1)
The vines you step on are unstable, breaking as soon as you step onto them. Roll a DC 75 Reflex Save to avoid falling a few levels below, causing 2d20 Damage and knocking you Prone. While Prone, you can use a Bonus Action or have someone else use a Bonus Action to help you back up safely.
You were careless, stepping and/or brushing your hands across very, very sharp edges. The unnatural rock formations from The Arteries cut through your skin like it were made out of paper, causing 2d20 Damage and applying 1d7 Bleed Stacks. Roll DC 100 Fortitude/Reflex Save to lose all stacks. If you fail to meet it, every 20 will remove 1 stack.
There is pressure coming from this place, but you can't tell if it's simply the Artery's effect on you, or the dream itself. Whatever the case, it's enough to take a toll on your mind. You gain 1 stack of 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗶𝗮.
You find a nest full of unknown, white eggs plastered with red stains. They move and seem ready to hatch at any moment. Choose to lose your Bonus Action for the next Cycle in order to pass by undetected or run by and risk hatching the eggs. Once hatched, an horde of flesh-eating ants will rapidly hop onto you, causing 3d20 damage and giving you 1 stack of Slow.
You reroll (this time without rerolling should you fall on a Complication you already rolled). Should both players roll a 6, an unique encounter will happen.

[ 590/??? ]

❰ Player Sheet ❱

❰ Save: Poison Fungi ❱
1d100 (40) + 75 = 115
Fortitude | Fiora Di Angelo | Hearth

❰ Poison Stacks ❱
1d3 (2) = 2
Poison Stacks

❰ Artery Descent ❱
1d100 (63) + 25 = 88
Crush Weapons | Fiora Di Angelo | Hearth

❰ Complication Roll: Toxic Fungi ❱
1d6 (1) = 1
Complication Gacha

❰ Complication Damage ❱
3d20 (2 + 8 + 4) = 14
Poison Fungi Damage

❰ Cure ❱
(6 + 2) = 8 conditions cured.
Poison Fungi Stacks Cleansed

Luthien · Nov 20, 2023

She felt guilty upon realizing that Fiora had probably inhaled some of the spores as she’d tried to coach Lúthien out of the fungal mist. "No, don’t." Her head shook as the blonde tried to stop Fiora from apologizing any further, how could she blame her when the greenette had carried her all this time? "I’m the one that’s sorry, Fio… I should’ve paid more attention in the first place." It was always a little mistake here and there with her, never done purposely of course, but eventually they always piled up and bit her—or worse, her friends—in the ass.

It’s just a nightmare… just bare with it a bit longer. The constant reminder in the back of her mind was enough to numb the throbbing pain on her right arm, her own discomfort taking a back seat against whatever Fiora had been enduring within this dream long before the dreamwalker had even arrived.

Instead she placed her faith on that ethereal red string that continued to guide them, each step in its direction causing it to disappear within her chest as they came closer and closer to what lay on the other side. She’d be a fool to trust it blindly, and her own doubts often sowed whenever the ranger reached for the brass compass now and again—but no matter how many times she checked into it the result was always the same…

Lúthien would have to trust that her own will proved stronger than whatever entity was orchestrating this nightmare.

Trained eyes picked out the cluster of white eggs with splattered red over their shells with time to spare, her hand instinctively reaching to grab onto Fiora’s arm. "Hold on—aah...!" She winced as a quiet groan slipped past her lips, the motion enough to disturb her recent wounds before the ranger finally shrugged it off.

"Look up ahead, towards the left." She released her hold on Fiora once the greenette had come to a stop beside her, pointing towards a darkened section where the wall seemingly met the floor… except it’d been hollowed out enough to serve as a crib for another clutch. "Let’s head this way instead."

Was it merely a coincidence that the eggs had been laid only a few meters after the tunnel that her fate string disappeared into… or was something—or someone—else at play here? She’d have to hope it was nothing more than just a stroke of luck, and that the faint glow outlining the curb where the tunnel twisted out of view was truly the light from the surface and not the embers of whatever new fresh hell awaited them within the confines of this colony.

{ Stay alert, there’s always a chance I’ve fucked up again… } It wasn’t something she liked to admit, but the ranger would prefer for Fiora to be ready if the worst came to happen rather than be caught unaware. { … Or we could have unwanted company hanging out by the Commander’s tent. }

Quietly the ranger shifted her bow onto her left hand, allowing the string that had served as their guide to finally drop out of her sights, as the fingertips on her right hand grazed the fletchings within her quiver while the pair neared the corner… best to be safe than sorry.

❰ Player Sheet ❱

❰ Artery's Descent ❱
1d100 (48) + 25 + 10 + 10 + 15 = 108

+10 from Fallen tag
+10 from Dreamwalker
+15 from Ranged Signature
Ranged Weapons | Luthien | Hearth

❰ Complication: Nightmare Clutch ❱
1d6 (5) = 5
Luthien | Hearth

❰ BA: Tiptoe Along Them Eggs❱
Baaaiiiiii...
Luthien | Hearth

Fiora Di Angelo · Nov 20, 2023

"Eitherway, we deal with it and keep moving. But if you insist, I know a good place in Astorea where we can get ourselves a drink." She smirked, the banter helped her keep her mind clear from her thirst. It would be somewhat difficult to find beer in the depths of wherever-the-fuck they were at right now, but if the Blonde found herself safe all the way through the Wasteland, she clearly had the skill or luck to pull off such a feat.

Fiora stopped abruptly as the yank on her arm made her turn back to Blonde, both confused and wary all the same. It was clear from her reaction that her injuries were taking a toll, but given the eggs pointed out were a far more pressing matter, the recklessness was worth it to keep them from awakening an even worse pain in the ass.

{ Don't think about fucking it up, or you gonna eventually make it happen. } She replied as she made put considerable distance between herself and the unhatched buglings, holding her breath in until they were safe enough and on their way through the tunnels's fleshy ground. { If you see a demon bot, then that's your call to think about fucking it up. Specially it's core. } There was a fifty fifty that Blonde didn't knew about Magia Cores, but the chances were thin given how she handled herself under pressure.

{ What is this..? }

The light became stronger and stronger, until it finally revealed itself to be arced upwards rather than towards them or from above, two of the only things that could imply the outside world being nearby. The desk light was flipped over, and mostly intact compared to the rest of the camp they have found. The tents had suffered some damage, the bonfire had embers and stacks of deadwood sitting on it's side, taken straight out of the Artery they came from given how alien the white & red bark seemed in comparison to the trees they could find anywhere else in Arcea.

There seemed to be touches from MIT present, as research material hanged scattered all over the camp, some of these documents were blood-stained, and yet no bodies were present around. Many foot-prints rushed deeper through the meat tunnel. Camping supplies were all but organized. Given the nature of the abandoned camp, it gave the idea they were not exactly alone.

More people, lander or starcalled, were still within these tunnels.

{ A desperate search team? Maybe they were trying to get to the bottom and save the others? } Fiora speculated as she got herself closer to the campfire and squatted down, giving a glance over the tattered tents and abandoned bedrolls. { Well, if they're still alive, they could be a good distraction... } Or quite the opposite, by putting all the bugs in Alert Mode.

Regardless, it did leave them at odds with what to do. Eyeing over to Blonde's arm, the wounds made her cringe with concern, given she needed both to handle that bow efficiently, and a missed arrow could spell doom for either of them. Taking a little break didn't seem so bad of an idea with that in mind...

Camp

Take a moment to breathe and relax from your journey. Lit the fires and lick your wounds as you prepare to continue.

Camping will remove all curable debuffs and grant you a +30 for the next 3 Main Actions you do.
You can use 1 Main Action of your choice while camping. You may also make an Awareness/Knowledge Expertise Check to try and discern what happened within the camp.
The Camping will last One to Two Cycles depending on the players, but time will flow the same independant of how long it takes...
???

Press On

No rest for the wicked. Continue with your adventure to the bitter end. Perhaps your destiny is closer than you think...

Your perseverence is amusing. Your party gains +30 DMG mitigation for each member that lasts until consumed entirely.
Time will not pass.
???

[ 590/??? ]

❰ Player Sheet ❱

Luthien · Nov 20, 2023

"Oooh? You’ll have to tell me the name of the tavern that managed to survive this demonic bug-pocalypse." The banter was welcomed as it kept their spirits high despite the odds that continued to be stacked against them, though part of her wondered if such a place actually existed outside of this nightmare… Perhaps one day she’d be able to share a drink with Fiora there instead.

{ Duly noted. } Despite her own insecurities and earlier blunders she’d managed to keep them from disturbing a clutch of whatever the fuck was growing within those eggs, taking the advice offered by Fiora to heart. It’s good to know that they still have an obvious weakness despite their mutation, Lúthien can only hope her aim is steady and true if they’re unfortunate enough to cross paths with them without a safe way out.

For a moment she felt her hopes rise as the light became stronger with every step, the blonde eager to poke her own head around the corner besides the taller Fiora upon hearing the woman’s voice in her head. { Did we find it—oh.} The excited intonations of her mental speech are quickly stomped out upon setting her gaze on the abandoned camp, the ranger unsure how to feel about the discovery initially.

{ Maybe… but that would be so reckless of them. } Par for the course when Starcalled are concerned, though she’s unsure if the same could be said for the people of the land. It’s not like they’re defenseless, she knows that much, but given their usual track record… Well, the blonde isn’t exactly sure if a group of them wandering through these tunnels is a blessing or a curse in disguise.

There’s a small part of her that wishes to rush and keep going, eager to not get entangled with additional variables as they escape the tunnels and find a way to safely wake Fiora up from this nightmare… until one wrong movement sends a sharp jolt up her arm and a pained hiss escapes her lips. "W-We should probably take a moment… might be a good idea to figure out which way they went, or if something caused them to rush off in a hurry." There’s risk in both options, but in the end the ranger feels this one might be marginally safer than pressing on without a proper moment to catch their breath—at the very least she hopes the camp might give them some insight as to what they can expect once they resume their steps on this path.

While Fiora busied herself with the tattered tents and bedrolls the ranger made her way towards the campfire and the multitude of footsteps littered all over. A gloved hand shifts the soot around the campfire, careful to not come close to the few embers that remain as they continue to quietly smolder away. One glance is given towards the suspicious deadwood by its side, before she eventually straightens back up to take a better look at the footsteps.

A little hum slowly begins to gain weight as the blonde unconsciously sings a wordless melody, magic effortlessly imbued into the soft highs and quiet lows while her mind is hard at work trying to figure the puzzle before her. It’s like a breath of fresh air has been gently deposited into their lungs, easing their discomfort as the wounds mend and heal to the best of the ranger’s intuitive abilities.

❰ Player Sheet ❱

❰ Awareness Check ❱
2d100 (Advantage) (27, 58) + 25 + 15 = 98

Hyper Awareness Advantage
+15 from Dreamwalker
Awareness | Luthien | Hearth

❰ Main Action: Heal ❱
2d20 EX (10 + 17) + 25 + 25 + 30 = 107
107 ÷ 2 = 54 per target

+30 from Camping
Overheal max of 40 HP
Harmonic Magic | Luthien | Hearth

@Luthien is healed for +54 HP
@Fiora is healed for +54 HP

Fiora Di Angelo · Nov 21, 2023

The camp bearers being reckless wouldn't be a surprise, but then, aren't they now in their position? In a camp within god knows where beneath the surface?

At least she could stay put, as no Ifritgears seemed to be around, nor can they hear their characteristic screeching, which implies a moment of respite for them both. The pain on Blonde's arm seems to be what sets off their decision to stay, and Fiora sighed in relief, knowing they could finally sit down for a moment. Despite being worn out physically just as much, it's her head what's been causing trouble the most. "For a moment I thought you would want us to keep moving. I'm glad we can stretch our legs a little." She smiled, busying herself with pushing the deadwood the ranger was checking out right onto a pile on the campfire, snapping her fingers and setting them all ablaze once again.

She would have done so in a more traditional way, but her worries called for urgency as opposed to efficency, as she stood back up and quickly paced herself towards Blonde.

"Hey. Hold still." One hand took a hold of the ranger's shoulder as she was not about to take a no for an answer. It was only fair for her to pay her back after healing her own bruises, and given she took the worst of it...

Luthien could feel two things at play. An itch all over her body as flames begun to dance across her wounds and seal them shut, aswell as the greenette's own Painbearing, it soothed differently to how her melody did. It was almost like a painkiller numbing her down as opposed to a breath of fresh air. The Painbearing didn't make Fiora flinch in the slightest, as it wasn't the physical what she took, but rather, the mental. For as long as her spell lasted, as once the flames were gone, so did Fiora let go of her friend.

Something about the camp seemed off. There was not much blood around, and yet the hurry with which the group departed made it clear there has been an attack, or everyone was called to arms and made to rush down the tunnel. Their footprints guided them straight into the tunnel.

The Deadwood, having been stared for long, finally would click on why it seemed so strangely familiar, yet the memories might very well be repressed, as the white bark would make anyone's skin crawl. A nightmare made real within a nightmare, and one they had all been present to many months ago, and yet the Red Fever was one loose link which didn't seem to match the criteria of a tree god.

It might be mere bark and wood, but it almost felt like an omen even if right now it burns and fuels their campfire.

The pages across the floor seemed to be data related to the Ifritgears. Drawings of the insectoids clad in metal, and not one looking the same to the other. A sort of 'metamorphosis' described several times- The blood was no longer blood. The pages were... Burnt?

Not all of them were close to the campfire-

"Well I can't say there's much left. I don't see any sign of a struggle other than the mess we got around here." Fiora added, peeking into one of the tents one last time only to find a few bags filled with food, mostly bread. Hunger finally set in, and even if the bread itself was a little moldy by now, she didn't hesitate to take a bite out of it.

"Hmmm... At least we got some food here." She sat down near the campfire, dragging the bag next to her as she waited for Blonde to feel her stare. "Come on sit down, we need to cool off a little anyways." Fiora stretched, yawning before letting her hands rest behind her back, palms down against the floor.

"Ask me anything you want. We might die soon so, might aswell- Anything, so long as it's not your bullshit of this being a dream and all that lunacy. And I'll do the same." She chuckled lightly, wiggling a little to get herself comfy. "This Wasteland is self-contained, it don't spread that far past Vintergard. The tavern I told ya about? In a town called Hanrift.. Built a place together with my girlfriend near that town, since the people there are good folk." Her gaze went down to the fire, a warm smile came with that nostalgia that washed her over. Better times, even if... They were all but a blur right now.

When did we do that... Why can't I remember?

She kept her disdain and confusion a secret, shooking off her head a little before locking eye with Blonde once again. "So, did we ever crossed paths before? It's strange, because I look at you, and I feel like I know everything already. Like a little sister I never had. I can predict when you gonna do something stupid so to speak." She chuckled to her own joke, yet the feeling was very, very real. Disturbingly so. And it made her all the more curious to know who this stranger was in reality.

Camp

Take a moment to breathe and relax from your journey. Lit the fires and lick your wounds as you prepare to continue.

Camping will remove all curable debuffs and grant you a +30 for the next 3 Main Actions you do.
You can use 1 Main Action of your choice while camping. You may also make an Awareness/Knowledge Expertise Check to try and discern what happened within the camp.
The Camping will last One to Two Cycles depending on the players, but time will flow the same independant of how long it takes...
???

❰ Player Sheet ❱

❰ MA: Power Heal. ❱
4d20 EX (15 + 18 + 17 + 12) + 25 + 20 + 30 = 137

+30 from Camping
Overheal max of 40 HP
Magitech | Fiora Di Angelo | Hearth

❰ Knowledge Check ❱
1d100 (11) + 25 = 36
Knowledge | Fiora Di Angelo | Hearth

@Blonde gets healed for +137 HP

Luthien · Nov 23, 2023

A sheepish smile was all the blonde could afford back to Fiora as the woman guessed her thoughts correctly. "I thought about it… but that would just increase the risks without any real benefit for us." Granted, she truly wanted to wake up her friend as quickly as possible. It still unnerved Lúthien that her friend’s Pyromancy apparently had a mind of its own, and who who knew what effect this fucking nightmare could be doing to the real Fiora… but that probably went both ways.

She didn’t wish to be careless as she dragged around the Fiora that was trapped within this realm, the last thing Lúthien wanted was to inflict further pain and worries to her friend… she’d already done enough of that.

"Besides, maybe we can find something here that helps." The lack of skittering sounds or the guttural warbles those insectoids made offered a faint comfort that the might not come by this tunnel often, and there’s plenty of notes left by those before them for the elf to gather up—hopefully not all of the important ones had met their demise in the flames of the campfire.

As Fiora kicks the stack of everwhite bark into the smoldering embers it finally clicks in her mind why their presence made her feel so uncomfortable, a visible shudder crossing her spine and shaking her shoulders before the elf is quick to put distance between her and the deadwood. The others might not remember that particular nightmare clearly, but she’d been unfortunate enough to have every single second of it permanently recorded in her memory.

It’s an unknown danger that still lurks within the woods that surrounded Lübeck, one that should probably be dealt with sooner rather than later, but for now she’s quick to stomp any and all thoughts of it back into the darker corners of her mind. Focus on one thing at a time, no distractions—

"Hey."
"Mmm?"
"Hold still."
"W-Why—?!"

Fiora’s voice snaps the ranger out of her own head, the firm grip that the greenette places on her right shoulder causing the blonde to stiffen in response before her eyes widen in surprise. The flames are the first thing Lúthien notices as they begin to race down her arm and lick the edges of her wounds, but the expected pain one would associate with fire almost feels numbed out for some reason.

Yes, there’s a tingling sensation that still remains—similar to when one’s arm falls asleep after putting too much pressure on it—but nothing like what the elf expected to feel. It takes a moment before the missing piece of the puzzle finally clicks into place, a worried glance shot back to the greenette who remains calm and composed despite the fact she’d bearing most of the pain Lúthien should be feeling instead.

"Fio…" The concern that coats her words is plain as day to see in her eyes, though there’s also a sadness that seems to linger at the edges of those crimson irises as Lúthien stares back. "T-Thanks."

It’s all she can muster as the greenette finally lets go, her arm now fully healed and feeling better than ever… it’s almost a pity the fire can’t cleanse the turbulent feelings that linger within her. Instead she returns to her original task at hand, picking up the last of the scattered pages, before nodding in agreement towards Fiora.

"It’s possible the tents were already torn and tattered before they escaped down here," Aside front he scrambling footsteps and scattered papers nothing else denotes another creature had come through here… ... Not through the floor at least. The thought alone is enough to cause the ranger’s gaze to shift upwards, conjuring if there’s any marks in the walls or the ceiling of this tunnel that she might’ve missed before.

A faint smile crossed her lips as Fiora called her over, having already made herself comfortable by the renewed fire. A final swap of her eyes confirms she hasn’t missed a note before Lúthien makes her way over to the campfire, an exhausted sigh escaping her lips as the ranger finally plops down beside her friend. "Seriously, would it have killed the devs to add a mini map and a clock to the UI?"

There’s no way to tell how much time has passed since her arrival, but regardless of it she can still feel the weariness in her muscles and bones. A glance is given to the bread Fiora’s found, old and stale, before the ranger shrugs and bites into a loaf herself. "Ugh, kinda wish we had some cheese—fresh cheese—to mask the taste." There’s a metallic aftertaste that lingers long after she’s swallowed, but she perseveres despite it—and it's easier to ignore her dislike for the moldy bread as their conversation picks up.

"Hanrift... I think I’ve heard of it before. Never seen it though, maybe I should give it a visit once we’re outta here." The name is loosely familiar, though her memory of it is vague—the most she can remember is having heard it bounce along the hallways of the Embertorch one or twice. "Booze must be fucking amazing if you’re thinking of ‘em all the way out here in the middle of a demonic bug colony~"

Part of her wonders how true this information might be, are these just the memories the Fiora within this nightmare has lived through… or is this something they’ve done in the actual game?

Her limit is finally reached as the blonde swallows a final mouthful of bread, the rest of the loaf discarded close to the rim of the campfire, before Fiora’s question draws Lúthien’s attention back to her."Y-Yeah… you could say that, I guess." Her gaze shifts to the burned papers that have returned to her hands, almost hoping she could find the proper answer in them as she scans the words on them.

It’s clear that this Fiora doesn’t seem to recognize her—with the only exception to that having been that singular moment where she’d almost free-falled deep into the colony by accident. She was certain then that the greenette had shouted her name then, but that moment hadn’t repeated itself since.

"I know you don’t believe me when I say this is all a terrible dream," The greenette has stated as much by now, and Lúthien’s not about to try and argue that point with her now. "But you’re someone near and dear to me… así ya no lo sea yo para ti."

A dry laughter faintly clings to the last of her words, aware that this is the most they’ve spoken to one another since that day... and certain that Fiora will not remember most, if any, of it once the greenette finally wakes up. Es mejor así… Sometimes forgetting can be a blessing in and of itself, and if the cost for such a mercy is that Lúthien must remember it all by herself then it’s a price she’s paid before… and she’d willingly pay it again.

❰ Player Sheet ❱

❰ Awareness Check ❱
2d100 (84, 82) + 25 + 15 = 124

Hyper Awareness Advantage
+15 from Dreamwalker
Awareness | Luthien | Hearth

❰ Main Action: Inspire ❱
6d6 (5 + 2 + 2 + 5 + 3 + 2) = 19
+30 evenly split = x3 charges of 29 each

+30 from Camping
Harmonic Magic | Luthien | Hearth

@Luthien receives x1 +29 Inspire
@Fiora receives x2 +29 Inspire

Fiora Di Angelo · Nov 23, 2023

Fiora shook her head, having her theory proved right felt bittersweet at this point. "At least that means you are thinking straight, and that's already better than most would be in our place. We'll make it out so long as we do things just right." She felt confident about it given what Blonde has proven capable of thus far, and everyone's spirits were high.

Well, the two of them, given they can't count missing campers as part of the crew.

It ticked her off wrong to see how concerned the ranger seemed, the weighty thanks almost feeling too extra given what she did. She couldn't help but rise her open hand to try and stop her from wearing that worrisome look on her face. "Hey I didn't want you to go berserk and lash out at me all of a sudden. Only a problem when I use it to heal others really, but being an elf comes with it's perks." She shrugged, patting Blonde's arm. "Good as new."

Leaving her to her own devices, Fiora chuckled as a mention for a clock and a mini-map came forth, or rather, a complaint for the lack of. "Less is better sometimes. Besides, I bet someone with Magitech already figured it out. Maybe a magia around here has a clock I can rework into a watch for you." She pondered, but it's only now that she thought of the idea in the first place, and now it left her curiously scratching her chin at how that could work...

Not like she was that crafty. Ronja had the title of 'Inventor' in their home...

"No, not really." A forlorn tone bled through from her thoughts into her voice, realization making her cast it aside again. "It's not the best booze, the inn ain't that impressive either. The faerin that works as a tailor around there does make some amazing outfits though. She used to work at Finweald." That much she could remember from the town now, besides Elias and his sister. "But most there didn't seem to mind magias, so we stuck about to buy supplies, help them out and try to make friends out of the locals, since we were living nearby." She could tolerate so long as they tolerated, simple as that.

While Luthien split her attention between a nice conversation and the burnt notes, sorting them out for what's still available for them to check out, it's easy to tell some of them were not written by the same person. And some weren't even research to begin with. There were fragments of a diary, pieces of a MIT member's unfortunate documentation of the Ifritgears, and some in-betweens that were far from readable at this point, all scrambled and without a specific order:
1-2-3-4-5-6

The air felt increasingly heavy as Blonde spoke, yet she kept her reservations behind the wall that was her face right now. Everything from the spanish, to the bow, to the careless attitude and this sensation deep down that suddently felt less of a nostalgia and more like a nightmare turning real, a fear she didn't want to let the other aware of.

It's like a ghost who came back to haunt her in a different body. A reincarnation of sorts. For once, she found solace in being an elf with backwards logic, as everything but her anger is nothing but numbed down feelings, tickles and sensations that were otherwise suppressed.

"Well I can't say because I just met you. I simply don't trust others, but you ain't half bad so far, just a bit of a weirdo." She exhaled a chuckle, shooking off her head at the kettle calling the pot black, and letting some silence linger up before an idea widened her eye and made her close the gap between herself and the ranger, dragging herself, given the effort to stand up - move - sit was just too much for her right now.

"Wanna play a game before we leave? Just a short round or two... Three if you beat me." She smirked, pulling a hand into her purse, which proved to be completely empty except for one deck of cards. A bit too worn, and far from glamourous. They were self-made, and all of the deck had cards ranging from 1 to 9, with only the colours of each card being different, all but dull tones compared to the original game. "UNO but from Terrasphere. It was a pain in the ass to make, but Landers seem to love it. Only deck in the whole world, until I can make one that looks prettier."

It was a far cry from UNO, but at least it did the job right given she spent all this time colouring each card's number and symbol with the right palette.

Camp

Take a moment to breathe and relax from your journey. Lit the fires and lick your wounds as you prepare to continue.

Camping will remove all curable debuffs and grant you a +30 for the next 3 Main Actions you do.
You can use 1 Main Action of your choice while camping. You may also make an Awareness/Knowledge Expertise Check to try and discern what happened within the camp.
The Camping will last One to Two Cycles depending on the players, but time will flow the same independant of how long it takes...
???

❰ Player Sheet ❱

❰ MA: Buff. ❱
1d100 (66) + [30] + 25 + 20 + 30 + 29= 200 / 3

+30 from Camping
+29 from Inspire
Magitech | Fiora Di Angelo | Hearth

❰ Knowledge Check ❱
1d100 (75) + 25 + 29 = 129
Knowledge | Fiora Di Angelo | Hearth

@Blonde gets a +67 Buff to her next 3 attacks.

Luthien · Nov 28, 2023

Perks… She's unsure if that’s the word Lúthien would choose to describe the various elven traits this game afforded. There were times where they could truly be a blessing in disguise, and in those moments she would consider them a perk like Fiora just had, but in the ranger’s personal experience… Perhaps they were just useful curses in disguise.

"Wait… you tinker too?" It was hard to conceal the surprise in her voice, especially when she’d never seen the greenette at work in a workshop before. Naturally she’d assumed Fiora would give Ronja a hand when the magia required it, especially when it came to heavy lifting. She could easily envision Fiora wrecking shit with her hands without any effort, but somehow she’d never imagined her friend actually creating something with them. "That’s… that’s actually pretty cool, Fio."

The offer of a watch did earn a soft smile from the blonde, along with a simple "I’ll look forward to it then." from the girl. This was a promise within a dream, one she was certain Fiora would forget once she awoke, that would be forever left to live on in just her memory. It wouldn’t come to pass, but the joy she felt was genuine regardless.

Instead her gaze turned to the numerous notes that had actually survived the flames, carefully flipping from one to the next as her eyes drank in their contents. A fair amount were almost impossible to make out; illegible thanks to the chicken scratch writing that plagued plenty of researchers throughout the ages, or simply too stained and/or torn for Lúthien to make out more than a word here or there.

These were all quietly discarded into a pile at her side, decreasing the amount of papers considerably in her hands, before her gaze focused on their contents. "Look, it’s about our little friend the Ifritgears." The papers were handed over to Fiora as she spoke, nothing in them that she hadn’t already personally witnessed, before the familiar word of ifrit in another stack caught her attention.

"How much research did they do about them—" Her words cut off abruptly as her eyes finally caught up with the contents within, realizing there was more to worry about than Lúthien had initially thought. "¿Qué carajos...?"

Her head shifted sideways just enough for the blonde to stare at Fiora for a few moments, before gently shaking her head as she resumed reading. Just how many terrors did you shove into one nightmare— "Oh for fuck’s sake, what the hell is this?!" She’d expected it, after all the duo had already even cracked a few jokes about the mysterious Queen of the colony and how they should not speedrun a meeting with her… what she hadn’t accounted for was there being more than one (1) of those fuckers around!

A deep sigh left her lips before Lúthien forced her eyes to continue reading, aware of how little she knew about this hellish nightmare and the disadvantage that placed her in. The mention of a Starcalled being the one these Queens might be reporting to didn’t go unnoticed, marked by a frown on her face, before she finally moved onto the next pages.

Some of them she wasn't sure what to make of, while the words on them seemed important to remember there was little provided for the ranger to speculate about… and there was plenty to think about without trying to figure out which deity might or might not be involved in this mess. ... maybe it’s the Starcalled they mentioned with the queens.

Part of her hoped that she might be able to find a clue on how to wake up Fiora from it, unlikely as it actually was, but just when the blonde had been losing hope on the thought her eyes caught something interesting on the next stack. "Tch!" She can’t help but vocalize ehr frustration upon realizing the rest of the note has been burnt off and lost, a huff leaving her lips as she places the papers down abruptly on the ground beside her, before finally turning towards the last one.

At first glance it just seems like some inconsequential rambling from a paranoid person, her mind briefly reminded of the prisoner that had been in Camp Hope ages ago, before the last line caused the elf to pause and bring the paper closer to her face—almost as if wishing to confirm her eyes weren’t deceiving her. She’d sent them out to camp on a whim tethered to hope, for all she knew the Commander didn’t even exist in this nightmare, but here in her hands there was finally evidence of the contrary. Maybe, just maybe, her gut instinct had been right this time… though there was always the chance it would lead them to their demise.

Quietly a mental note was made to keep her wits about, adding any unsuspecting rattling to the list of noises she’d have her ears focus on if they came across it.

She was too absorbed within the thoughts in her own head to notice the faint shifts in Fiora, the way her gaze sometimes lingered too long on Lúthien’s features or the way the woman’s subconscious twitches in her facial muscles that could’ve clued the blonde into her thoughts. A soft chuckle escaped as Fiora called her a weirdo, no offense taken by the descriptor.

"A game…?" A curious lilt slipped into her voice as the blonde tilted her head to the left slightly. Usually the thought of a game in such a scenario would be unthinkable for most, before a short snort escaped the ranger upon realizing this was pretty par for the course when it came to them both. "Sure, why not? Whatcha go, Fio?"

She’s surprised by the deck of cards that come out of the elf’s purse, eyebrows raised high before an appreciative whistle slipped through her lips. "You did those?" They’re rustic and rough, but it's those imperfections that make them so perfect for the moment as Fiora talks about their creation.

"Alright, let’s play then—" A cheeky grin pulls at the edges of her lips as Lúthien shifts too, sitting cross legged across Fiora now as she waits for the greenette to deal their hands. "—but don’t be mad when I beat ya, okay~?"

❰ Player Sheet ❱

❰ Awareness Check ❱
2d100 (90, 60) + 25 + 15 = 130

Hyper Awareness Advantage
+15 from Dreamwalker
Awareness | Luthien | Hearth

❰ Main Action: Buff ❱
1d100 (69) + [30] + 25 + 25 + 30 + 29 = 208

+30 from Camping
+29 from Inspire
Harmonic Magic | Luthien | Hearth

@Fiora receives x3 +70 Buff

Fiora Di Angelo · Nov 26, 2023

"Yeah..?" The way Blonde reacted almost made her uncomfortable, as if she had just said the most outrageous thing the woman's ever heard. Specially given this elf seemingly knew a lot about her. The shock just turned to be mutual but for entirely different reasons. Even the compliment she got didn't quite clear the rubble in her mind right now.

Is this bitch insulting me...

Scratching at her nape, she concluded with a shrug as the other already begun to take things for granted. "Don't hold your breath, I don't think anything in this dumpster fire isn't tainted by Red Fever. I rather not take my chances and craft something that ends up killing you." No such thing as too careful, specially with how chaotic magic could be. "But yeah I can craft, I'm just not that good compared to my teacher. She was the real genius." She brushed the topic aside with silence alone, as not a single word about it would follow withotu risking to sour the mood with self-pity and frustration.

Her ears perked up as the topic of Ifritgears came by, golden eye set down on the papers, needless to ask for them as Blonde herself read her mind and passed some over already. "This all seems on point with what I saw thus far..." The longer she went over them though, the more concerning it got as the dangers they joked about were more than real.

A hand stretched out to pat Blonde's back as every note seemed to frustrate her even more, and checking on it's contents revealed her just why, making it all the more harder to hide her own feelings, increasingly distressed by the revelations. "So this is what MIT's been gathering... I haven't kept up with the news, but this is a gut punch if anything. We talking about plurals here: A bunch of colonies could breach out and take over Astorea bit by bit..." Not even these red coats would be able to stop them if they decided to become a pain in the ass, and with how lacking the city was right now, there's no doubt that this was an uphill battle against the Ifritgears should they turn hostile to the outside world.

Truth to be told, there were still no tracks on the floor, yet the spot were the lamp was aiming up at the ceiling revealed where they ended, as up there the stalactites were broken, and the prints that lead back to the tunnels they traversed and the ones they were yet to move into were all clad by these prints. Too thin to be paws or boot soles. As if ants had made them, only one hundred times bigger.

Poised with getting the best out of this little camping before the following clusterfuck, her offer for a game seemingly rang interest on Blonde, which in turn made her smile grow larger. "A game." She confirmed while holding the suspense up in her voice, only revealing the goodies once asked for what's in store. Thankfully the blonde was cultured enough to tell this was a cheap attempt at UNO, but rather than pride it was relief to know that's the case. Both to save themselves time explaining the rules, and to know she herself didn't fuck up on their elaboration.

"Yeah. Nothing fancy, but they work on a pinch, or when you want to keep yourself sane. I don't remember every card on Solitaire or I would have." She can't say she doesn't feel like a maniac playing UNO alone, but at least this time around it's with either an actual hallucination, or a real person, something she can't quite tell the difference of by now given how insane Blonde is. But she hardly cares, given her imaginary friend here is good enough to make the difference blur and matter not.

As she begun to shuffle the deck, her brow skyrocketed in intrigue as the cocky Blonde declared victory without even playing the first match. "Well even if I got mad I can't take the headset off anymore so I can't go kick your ass for real. That's implying I'll lose though." She stopped, preparing herself to deal. "I won't." A weak smile curved her lips just then.

Camp

Take a moment to breathe and relax from your journey. Lit the fires and lick your wounds as you prepare to continue.

Camping will remove all curable debuffs and grant you a +30 for the next 3 Main Actions you do.
You can use 1 Main Action of your choice while camping. You may also make an Awareness/Knowledge Expertise Check to try and discern what happened within the camp.
The Camping will last One to Two Cycles depending on the players, but time will flow the same independant of how long it takes...
???

❰ Player Sheet ❱

Luthien · Nov 28, 2023

Hearing Fiora’s concern over the materials around here, and how she wouldn’t risk Lúthien’s life so carelessly with them for a simple watch, caused a warm feeling to grow in her chest. It was nice to see that she still cared for her, even if the blonde knew in the back of her mind that this wasn’t the real Fiora that she sorely missed.

As they’d shifted to sit across from one another Lúthien had unconsciously tucked the last note that mentioned the Commander into a pocket of her vest, the rest of the research notes sitting in a pile to her left after they’d been glanced at by both.

"A game." The words confirmed that she hadn’t misheard the greenette the first time around, an amused chuckle escaping the ranger as she listened.

"Honestly I’m surprised you remembered these over solitaire." The tone of her words made it clear she made no insult by it. Lúthien would never remember all the cards of UNO, she was certain the deck was made of at least a hundred if not more, but she could remember each of the cards needed for Solitaire… they were the same ones found in every deck of briscas she’d owned or played with growing up on the island.

"Pffft, that might be true here at least…" Her cocky claim had certainly been well received by Fiora as she shuffled the thick deck. "I just hope you don’t come for my ass when you wake up though."

Unlikely given the nature of dreams and how most often forgot them mere moments after opening their eyes, but when it came to Nico… well, the sky was the limit with that one—Valeria was sure of it.

"That's implying I'll lose though. I won't."
"Mmm... we’ll see about that, I guess~"

She’d been cautious at first whenever her turn to call "UNO!" rolled around, trying to keep her voice to just excited whispers, but that was hard to keep up long term as their game got more interesting. The first match had been nerve wracking, she’d managed to hold onto one card in three different occasions before the blonde was forced to pick up more—either due to Fiora’s use of +4s and +2s, or just because luck wasn;t on her side when her turn rolled by.

At one point Fiora had been down to one card too, but the greenette had missed the beat on chanting before Lúthien called her out on it—causing her to draw once more. The expert use of a rainbow +4, followed by a skip and then her last card managed to net Lúthien the first win.

"One-O in my favor," She didn’t even try to hide her gremlin nature then, a mischievous smile on her lips as the elf chuckled softly. "Two more to go~"

It was clear Fiora wasn’t amused, though if their roles were reversed Lúthien was sure the greenette wouldn’t have skipped the chance to call her out instead.

The cards were shuffled and distributed for the second round. The first had felt like a roller coaster of ups and downs, but this one had been quite linear in nature—it almost felt as if the cards had favored the blonde over her opponent as the right one seemed to conveniently show up whenever she needed it. Luthien had been victorious once more, though the look on her face showed she’d been as surprised about it as Fiora.

"Huh." She’d done terribly during their games in Hawaii, it had been ages since she’d played UNO back then, and it’s not like the blonde had touched the game again after their trip. "I actually won…?"

Her hand stifled a laughter as Fiora demanded another round, barely able to contain the sound of her voice before the blonde finally agreed. "Sure, why not? Won’t change the fact I already won though~" The cards were shuffled and handed out once more, the round filled with ups and downs like their first game.

They’d even managed to draw a considerable amount of cards from the deck as the pile between them continued to grow, +2s flying left and right along with the reverse and skip cards that Fiora was certainly quite fond of. She’d noticed at one point that the greenette seemed to lack green cards in her hand, amusing as that was, and when a rainbow +4 showed up in her hand along with the two cards she held Lúthien knew this game was over and done with.

"Draw four again," A light chuckle escaped her as she watched the grumbling look on Fiora’s face, forced to add 4 more cards into her hand. "And I’m changing it to green~"

It forced her to pick another card, before the elf set down a green skip atop the stack. "UNO~!" She called out cheerfully and without hesitation, before Fiora could rob her of the chance. The mischievous glint in her eyes easily cued the greenette as to what was coming next, her last green card placed atop the skip as a smirk pulled the edges of Lúthien’s lips.

"I win again~"

❰ Player Sheet ❱

❰ Main Action: Inspire ❱
6d6 (1 + 1 + 1 + 5 + 3 + 2) = 13
+30 evenly split = x3 charges of 23 each

+30 from U̶N̶O̶ ̶v̶i̶c̶t̶o̶r̶i̶e̶s̶  Camping
Harmonic Magic | Luthien | Hearth

❰ Awareness Check ❱
2d100 (68, 43) + 25 + 15 + 23 = 131

Hyper Awareness Advantage
+15 from Dreamwalker
+23 from Inspire
Awareness | Luthien | Hearth

@Luthien receives x2 +23 Inspire
@Fiora receives x1 +23 Inspire

Fiora Di Angelo · Nov 29, 2023

"There's not much in UNO. From one to nine, the cancels, the reversals, colour changers and plus twos and fours. I'm not an artist, so in the event I did get someone to play with, I rather make it an easy game." She explained, as even the dumbest of Landers should be able to play this game properly with her own ruling. Of course, they would play by the 'official' rules this time around, just to make their game all the more 'official'.

A quiet smirk formed on her lips, malignance practically radiating as Blonde was seemingly preparing herself for what would happen after this 'dream' was over. "I don't even need to put it in my to-do list. If we are friends, I know we'll meet up at some point to go kill some monster and eat it for lunch." And of that she's completely certain of, since it's the kind of stuff to do in Terrasphere, afterall.

The surprise when the Blonde could pull back from too many fours was just astonishing. The heart of the cards or some bullshit like that had to be in her favour for so many plus twos to show up at the last second. Her fingers would be itching over the plus four she held, if only the official rules hadn't saved the blonde from another four cards.

A blank stare met the gremlin's own as she proclaimed her first victory, eyeing up the cards once again then back at the elf. "Oh it's fine, we're just getting started." Steeling her resolve, Fiora picked up the cards yet again to shuffle them.

What really struck a cord was this round just seemed to be against her, as nothing good came at hand and the cards were piling up, enough to make her scratch her chin, unsure how to turn the tides back. Luck was never a thing for her whenever she played this game, so it must have been another case of Miss Fortune being a pain in the ass for her. It shows, given how Blonde wasn't any less surprised about it than herself.

"Well now this one was boring. So I guess we doing it up to three." She declared, almost put at edge by the ranger's muffled noises. They couldn't afford to let the sound echo around and get themselves caught, which thankfully Blonde was aware of even in her moment of hubris. "You can't sing victory until we do three matches. Third time's the charm for everything."

It only added salt to the wound, a frown finally breaking through as she picked up yet another stack of four and shuffled it around her hand, obsessive with keeping each card next to it's paired color to make her head hurt a little less from staring at it. It didn't make the odds any better as she grew a tad too slow on calling out the overexcited gremlin infront of her. But she accepted her all around decisively defeat once she could practically predict it out of the Blonde's eyes.

The last card rolled, leaving her humming moreso than anything, before finally setting the cards down. "You did win again, yes. Guess you earned yourself a ten minute advantage..." Fiora collected the cards, putting them all neatly on a pile before lifting a hand up between herself and the Blonde, her eye becoming a dagger to pierce through her partner with a look alone, "Can't let anyone know I got bested, hm?" A flame sparked on her hand as she delivered that line, letting the fire warm her fingers for a little longer before snuffing it out with a smile she had to practically force out.

It was hard to deliver a good joke when you stopped sounding like you are and gotten used to such. Being an elf felt like she was a completely different person to outside of the game, but that dissasociation couldn't just be herself, given the VR reality itself could fuck one up in more ways than one.

A pocket within Luthien's vest begun to billow and expand, as if something alive was in there, or at least so the elf would feel it, given the cloth didn't move an inch, but the note inside sure did.

Anyways, there's something that's been bothering me. And I rather find out before we possibly die." She spoke rather casually, pushing a few of the chopped logs of wood on the bonfire to one side or another with a stick, if only to keep them from losing structure. "You wear your heart on your sleeve, that much's obvious. I don't know if you're just waiting for me to ask or what, so I'll bite-" She paused, hands placed onto her crossed legs. If there would be an answer or not, she couldn't tell unless she tried, but the way Blonde acted and spoke, as if mourning a loss in a different way that she did...

It was off-putting, to say the least, and concerning at worst.

"Why do you sound like you don't want to see me when I 'wake up'. Be straight with me, I got nothing to lose and nothing to win, other than clearing a few doubts..." Something that shouldn't be happening whatsoever, not in-game at the very least.

Awareness made her stare down at her own hands, the very same ones that killed those closest to her, and realize just exactly why Blonde gave so many mixed signals about her awakening...

"Did I hurt someone you cared for..?"

?

Camp

Take a moment to breathe and relax from your journey. Lit the fires and lick your wounds as you prepare to continue.

Camping will remove all curable debuffs and grant you a +30 for the next 3 Main Actions you do.
You can use 1 Main Action of your choice while camping. You may also make an Awareness/Knowledge Expertise Check to try and discern what happened within the camp.
The Camping will last One to Two Cycles depending on the players, but time will flow the same independant of how long it takes...
@Luthien gains 1 stack of Paranoia and 1 stack of ???

❰ Player Sheet ❱

Luthien · Dec 1, 2023

The ranger knew better than to poke the bear too much, even if a sound defeat of three to nothing would’ve certainly excused any gloating that the blonde could’ve made. She knew there was one emotion the greenette could easily harness within this game, and it wasn’t one she was keen on facing head on anytime soon—

"You did win again, yes."
"Mhmm~"
"Guess you earned yourself a ten minute advantage..."
"Yeah—w-wait, what?"

A dreadful feeling quickly settled in the pit of her stomach as that singular golden eye focused on her, Fiora’s gaze sharper than any dagger they could find in this hellish wasteland.

"N-Now hold on Fio, let’s not do anything rash… r-right?"
"Can't let anyone know I got bested, hm?"

She’d leaned back while speaking, unconsciously seeking to widen the gap between them, every muscle tensed and ready to bolt when the flames sparked to life around the greenette’s hand. "F-Fio!?" They lasted for a second longer than the blonde felt comfortable with, a myriad of emotions dancing within her crimson eyes as she pleaded to the other, before a loud sigh of relief escaped her once Fiora finally snuffed out the flames.

Her hand rested firmly against her chest, the thrumming vibrations of her heart impossible to miss before it slowly started to calm down. "F-Fuck… don’t scare me like that, geeze!" This nightmare was going to shave a couple of years out of her lifespan, Lúthien was sure of it.

Silence settled between them for a moment, the hand that had rested on her chest moving to the side slightly to scratch an unconscious itch. She wasn’t sure if it’d been the look on her face or her words that had given it away, but it was clear that Fiora had picked up on it by now. "Lying has never been my forte, you know that."

Part of her had hoped beyond hope that the conversation would’ve never been brought up, hesitant to address in case it sent this nightmare spiraling further down the drain than it already was. Already she faced quite the challenge on how to wake Fiora up thanks to the demonic bugs she’d conjured up in her dreams, but at least teh greenette had been cooperating towards that goal.

"N-No, it’s not like that…" That part was true, Fiora hadn't hurt anyone she [cared for exactly. A long exhale quietly drifted out of her nostrils as the blonde tilted her head backwards, looking at the ceiling and the dubious tracks—those had to be from the bugs, she was sure of it—that littered it.

"I’d love nothing more than to see you and spend time just like this… but I don’t think that feeling is mutual right now." That was a heavy understatement, Lúthien was sure the real Fiora would gut her on sight if it was just the two of them on a lonely tunnel in the middle of fucking nowhere like right now. "We’ve had a… few disagreements over some things, and… well, guess I’ve learned your a lot more stubborn than I gave you credit for."

It as hard to understand how anyone could hold a grudge for so long like Nico could, moreso when the only person that would’ve had the right to hate her ass over that choice had been able to agree-to-disagree with the ranger without throwing their whole friendship into the trash bin. Perhaps that was the part that hurt her the most; the thought that she was so easily disposed of by the pinkette left a bitter taste in her mouth and dragged up old wounds that Valeria thought had been healed and gotten over long ago.

"Don’t worry about it," She was quick to try and move away from the topic if possible, it was a distraction that she currently couldn’t afford—not until Fiora had finally woken up from this hellish dream. "Let’s just focus on getting you outta this nightmare—?"

Sharpened senses managed to catch the light shift within a particular pocket of her vest, close to the very same spot that her fingers had been unconsciously scratching at before. Brows slowly furrowed in thought as she glanced towards it, her hand laying flat over the fabric for a moment, before she finally ventured to pull out the contents within.

Only the note laid inside, tightly folded and tucked away for safekeeping. Nothing about it should’ve surprised her, and yet Lúthien couldn’t shake off the tingling feeling in the back of her mind as she stared at the piece of paper. She wasn’t sure why her fingers slowly unfolded it, an inexplicable urge to review its contents hitting the ranger, but it was a decision she quickly regretted as she caught the new words.

"What the fuck!?" From her reaction alone one would’ve thought the note had burnt or stung the blonde, chucked as far away from her as possible as the ranger got up on her feet. It has to be her—?!

Her eyes scanned the area around their camp, almost as if expecting to see the consciousness of Fiora’s Pyromancy pop from around a corner or the shadows, before her gaze finally caught the inconspicuous icon flashing among the various statuses at the end of her health bar. "..." No words leave her lips though the displeasure on her face is impossible to miss, hands balled into tight fist as she struggled to push down the tempest of emotions currently brewing within her.

❰ Player Sheet ❱

❰ Awareness Check ❱
2d100 (22, 29) + 25 + 15 + 23 = 92

Hyper Awareness Advantage
+15 from Dreamwalker
+23 from Inspire
Awareness | Luthien | Hearth

❰ Main Action: Inspire ❱
6d6 (6 + 6 + 5 + 3 + 1 + 3) = 24
+30 evenly split = x3 charges of 34 each

+30 from Camping
Harmonic Magic | Luthien | Hearth

@Luthien receives x2 +34 Inspire
@Fiora receives x1 +34 Inspire

Complete Private Hearth

❮ Raging Flame ❯

❮ Lore Seeker ❯

❮ Raging Flame ❯

The Artery's Descent

❮ Lore Seeker ❯

❮ Raging Flame ❯

The Artery's Descent

❮ Lore Seeker ❯

❮ Raging Flame ❯

The Artery's Descent

❮ Lore Seeker ❯

❮ Raging Flame ❯

The Artery's Descent

❮ Lore Seeker ❯

❮ Raging Flame ❯

❮ Lore Seeker ❯

❮ Raging Flame ❯

❮ Lore Seeker ❯

❮ Raging Flame ❯

❮ Lore Seeker ❯

❮ Raging Flame ❯

❮ Lore Seeker ❯

❮ Raging Flame ❯

❮ Lore Seeker ❯