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Vanyel's Map: Blackavar Island
Characters: Vanyel and any others who signed up here! Feel free to use the CR meme to plot.
Summary: During the late-summer fair, Vanyel acquired a means to create a map, which in turned showed the existence of an island that no one has seen, despite flyovers and long-distance scanning. He has now organized a party to explore it. This log is for casual interaction, camping, and hiking, as well as mod-run plot factors that may affect the "war."
Date(s): October 5-8
Warnings/Notes: Potential minor injury, booby traps, etc.
All aboard Tony Stark's jet, except for those of us who have flight capability and prefer to go it alone. The airship still looks battered and lacks a weapons array, but can carry eight passengers easy, and most daemons besides. It's a smooth flight over the water, that you may wish to spend chatting with your fellow passengers. Reassuringly, the sensor feed seems to match the map that Vanyel generated exactly, including the shape of the coastline, the location of the city, and the distance to the wall of light opposite the land the interdimensional membrane. All that's missing is the island.
However, as the ship approaches the expected location of the island, the light and water begin to distort, flickering and shredding like a mirage. The next moment, the island emerges, swirling with strange mist. Just like the map shows, it isn't big— a couple miles in each direction at most, but it's steeply mountainous and heavily forested.
There's a variety of weird shit to look at. The Island Effect is exaggeratedly strong here, primarily regarding the fauna.
The bald, pointed-eared fairies that are merely finger-height on the mainland are as tall as adult humans here, and you might see them peeking through the trees then darting away, unwilling to communicate. In the meantime, the green-backed bison are pygmy, coming in at hip-height, and rambling around beyond the treeline. Likewise, the massive sea dragons are down-scaled to the size of dolphins. Still aggravatingly aggressive, though.
Fortunately, Tony parked further up the beach.
It's warm. Far more humid here than on the mainland, thanks to the churning mist, the flora more jungle-like than deciduous sort back East. The trees press in close, and the incline is steep, promising a challenging hike, albeit one filled with interesting and picturesque natural discoveries. Plenty to bitch about, as you have a look around.
Fortunately, there doens't... seem to be anything particularly creepy to worry about as you break camp for the night, at least in terms of nocturnal predators and the like. The fire will keep away animals who are otherwise attracted to the scent of s'mores.
As the search progresses, four stone ruins are scattered throughout the forest. The architectural style bears unmistakable resemblence to the temple at the back of the city, although these are smaller, masked by rotting, toppled trees and half-submerged into dirt. Most of these are marked on Vanyel's map, with a symbol:
✞
But while you're poking around empty arches and derelict rooms, watch for booby traps here or there. Arrows, pits, nets. All of them brittle and rotted now, more liable to drop you on your head than break anything you can't spare— but traps nonetheless. You may have to help disentangle your fellow man from some of that.
For some reason, the only door that looks proper sealed looks almost identical to the one that led to the Memory Share chamber. However, instead of the same jet-black stone that characterizes much of the Temple, this one is a warm shade of brown, coarse, and the elaborately graven surface has held up well to the test of time that defeated most of the traps elsewhere.
No handles, no locks. But when you speak, the carvings begin to glisten oddly.
Summary: During the late-summer fair, Vanyel acquired a means to create a map, which in turned showed the existence of an island that no one has seen, despite flyovers and long-distance scanning. He has now organized a party to explore it. This log is for casual interaction, camping, and hiking, as well as mod-run plot factors that may affect the "war."
Date(s): October 5-8
Warnings/Notes: Potential minor injury, booby traps, etc.
BLACKAVAR ISLAND
Dead winds' and spent waves' riot
OUTBOUND FLIGHT
However, as the ship approaches the expected location of the island, the light and water begin to distort, flickering and shredding like a mirage. The next moment, the island emerges, swirling with strange mist. Just like the map shows, it isn't big— a couple miles in each direction at most, but it's steeply mountainous and heavily forested.
TAKE A HIKE
There's a variety of weird shit to look at. The Island Effect is exaggeratedly strong here, primarily regarding the fauna.
The bald, pointed-eared fairies that are merely finger-height on the mainland are as tall as adult humans here, and you might see them peeking through the trees then darting away, unwilling to communicate. In the meantime, the green-backed bison are pygmy, coming in at hip-height, and rambling around beyond the treeline. Likewise, the massive sea dragons are down-scaled to the size of dolphins. Still aggravatingly aggressive, though.
Fortunately, Tony parked further up the beach.
It's warm. Far more humid here than on the mainland, thanks to the churning mist, the flora more jungle-like than deciduous sort back East. The trees press in close, and the incline is steep, promising a challenging hike, albeit one filled with interesting and picturesque natural discoveries. Plenty to bitch about, as you have a look around.
Fortunately, there doens't... seem to be anything particularly creepy to worry about as you break camp for the night, at least in terms of nocturnal predators and the like. The fire will keep away animals who are otherwise attracted to the scent of s'mores.
INDIANA JONES AND THE MYSTERIOUS RUINS
As the search progresses, four stone ruins are scattered throughout the forest. The architectural style bears unmistakable resemblence to the temple at the back of the city, although these are smaller, masked by rotting, toppled trees and half-submerged into dirt. Most of these are marked on Vanyel's map, with a symbol:
But while you're poking around empty arches and derelict rooms, watch for booby traps here or there. Arrows, pits, nets. All of them brittle and rotted now, more liable to drop you on your head than break anything you can't spare— but traps nonetheless. You may have to help disentangle your fellow man from some of that.
At The Stone Door
For some reason, the only door that looks proper sealed looks almost identical to the one that led to the Memory Share chamber. However, instead of the same jet-black stone that characterizes much of the Temple, this one is a warm shade of brown, coarse, and the elaborately graven surface has held up well to the test of time that defeated most of the traps elsewhere.
No handles, no locks. But when you speak, the carvings begin to glisten oddly.
VANYEL, KAZ & FARRAIGE
no subject
"I don't suppose your map had anything to say about this?" he asks Vanyel, meaning both the way the tunnels have split and the luminous color of the rock alongside him; which he adds regarding: "Careful not to brush against the walls. Bright colors in nature are usually something of a warning sign. Though I'm beginning to wonder if any of this is really 'natural'."
no subject
He gestures as they enter the tunnel, a quick turn and flick of his wrist that produces a glowing, bluish-white orb of light, no bigger than his fist, that coats up toward the ceiling and bobs there, providing a little additional light.
"My map is a bit more concerned with the topography of the island than its cave systems, I'm afraid," he answers, glancing back toward Kaz.
no subject
"Depending on what we find here, it might be worth charting a map of these tunnels." He notes idly, keeping his gaze mostly focused forward. Seeing Rose here definitely brought a few troubling thoughts to the forefront, but he's still not sure how to deal with that.
He glances back to Kaz, trying to offer a friendly smile despite his own feelings of uncertainty. "Honestly I'd be fascinated to see what mechanism reacted to us prior. Maybe something we can learn from or bring back with us."
no subject
They are, however, leading steadily downwards towards something else. The walls continue to light their way, casting a deep violet glow on everything. They couldn't be blamed for not noticing the change at first. They might be able to dismiss the first one as living here, and doing no appreciable harm. But then there's another, and another. They scamper along the ground and along the walls, walking over and obscuring the glowing lines. Perhaps when they do that is when their form will become clear for the first time.
Spiders. Hundreds of them, running over the floor and your feet and onto the legs of your pants. One hopes you are not so very ticklish.
no subject
What matters slightly more in this scenario is Vanyel's past history with spiders. Cave spiders in Skyrim tend to only come in one flavor: frostbite spiders, which are huge, poisonous, and extremely aggressive. So his automatic, instinctive response to the swarm of spiders is to fling a rather large fireball between the group and the heart of the swarm.
Some few might get burned, but he's hoping the fire will drive most of them off without the need for a fight - and, more importantly, without any of the party getting bitten.
no subject
He at least has the good sense not to start an immediate firestorm, but he will use the wind to blow off spiders drawing near him or getting onto his clothes.
no subject
A few seconds later, though, there's a different sound - as though something is dragging against the stone of the cave floor. If they should listen, or try to follow the sound, they'll eventually hear something else. It sounds a little like a rattle, and it sounds like it's coming from the walls. It's also getting closer.
Before them, the tunnel opens up like a yawning chasm, getting darker the deeper in they go. The walls continue to be illuminated by the thin lines of color, but it does look as though it will be difficult to see up ahead. Do they turn back, or keep going? The choice is theirs.
no subject
He cuts himself off abruptly as that dragging sound starts, and the rattling follows shortly after. "Personally, I'm for forging ahead and meeting whatever that is head on. What about you two?"
[ooc: I vote we handwave kaz turning back at this point, since the player has dropped.]
no subject
The wizard peers on the path ahead, noting the light dimming ahead. Once more he opens his hand, conjuring a flame that holds steady in his palm. While nowhere near the impressive display Vanyel put on, it is enough to hopefully chase back the darkness as they explore further in.
no subject
As for the two who remain, their situation is not quite so easy. Farraige's light gives them some illumination. That's lucky; before long, it's the only illumination they have, save for the glowing lines along the walls. All around them, otherwise, is darkness - a thick, cloying darkness that feels dense as well as dark.
The slithering continues. As they progress, they'll start to feel it around their ankles; something smooth that whips around them, disappearing right before they manage to see it.
Then the floor opens up beneath them.
There's no warning before they hit the chasm. The floor just falls away, and they'll find themselves tumbling down, falling faster and faster, while the hissing sounds explode all around them. At the bottom there is a lake, with an island in the middle. The lake is vast and deep, filled with writhing, rattling snakes ready to catch their feet.
They are falling straight for it.
no subject
The snakes churn, but anxiously, cringing away from the source of that sound - possibly because of the resounding echo of the Shout as much as its actual effect. As quickly as he can, he casts a Fear spell on the snakes as well, just to be sure.
As they plummet toward what's now a patch of mostly open water, he follows that up with a quick Water breathing spell on himself and Farraige - as well as being the only thing he has time for, it's the only one he knows that can help.
Water is Farraige's specialty, not his, so it's the younger mage's show from here.
no subject
When the two are low enough, the spout falls away, leaving the two to be submerged in the water. Once the two are submerged, the currents are under his control, shifting his hands about to focus the current of the water to keep them both well and clear of any drifting snakes that might still wander too close.
no subject
They splash down. If Vanyel's spell had lit the room, Farraige's seems to darken it; Farraige, with his comfortable manipulation of the environment, and the control he brings to the chaos. The lights go back out, as though the thing that had encouraged them has fallen away.
Which leaves our heroes in darkness. The water sloshes around them. Its texture is strange and somehow oily. There's a thickness to it that tugs at their feet the longer they stay still, but even if they move, they'll find it difficult to get very far. As the seconds pass, the water seems to change, becoming more like mud, and then like dark sand. The pair will find themselves buried to their shoulders, yet there's still something trying to tug them down. Above their heads, something light and dusty will fall on them, alerting them to a new problem - there's more sand falling from above, preparing to bury them alive.
But pay attention, explorers. Up ahead, one spark of purple light has not quite faded. It pulses against the frame of the door, on the island. Then it expands, creating a screen of light in which a small, blonde girl can be seen. She's clearly afraid, and sodden with a mixture of slime, pus, and who knows what else. Your view is that of something very large looking down at her, while she desperately tries to conjure ice between her hands, and your enormous, powerful tentacles swipe and smash at her. The boy with the arrows is trying to get to her, but the tentacles are on him too, and Rosie - poor Rosie - is struggling to stay on her feet.
And here you are, trapped in sand far away, unable to get to her. How does that make you feel?
no subject
"Wait," Vanyel gasps out as soon as he gets his head above water, reaching for Farraige's arm - which is when he notices how unusually thick and oily the 'water' has suddenly become. How, despite being a strong swimmer (he grew up in a port city, was diving for pearls and shellfish almost from the time he could walk) it's all he can do to keep treading water, to keep his head above the surface of the-
Not water. Not anymore, as it hardens to sludge around them, then to something like wet sand, with something - maybe just the sand itself, but they can't be sure of even that much. Not when it was just crawling with snakes, and there might well have been something far worse lurking down in the depths. He tightnes his grip on Farraige's arm and runs down a mental list of all the spells and Shouts he knows, trying to figure out what he can do to get them out of this-
Then he notices that last purple spark, the purple-edged screen it expands into - and he immediately recognizes the petite blonde woman they're being shown. "Rose," he breathes, afraid himself now - afraid for her, that she'll be hurt. Or that he'll lose her to whatever that tentacled thing is. Before he's even really thought about it, he Shouts again. "Wuld Nah Kest!" Across open ground, the force of all three words of Whirlwind Sprint might well launch them all the way to the island.
As it is, he'll be happy just to get as clear as they can of the dark, clutching sand - whatever it takes, to get close enough to that screen? portal? to help Rose if they can.