Player Plot: The Mysidian Tower!

[jadethenecromancer]

Who: Everyone who signed up for the plot!
What: Jade is taking a team to explore the Mysidian Tower before it'd swallowed by the Calamity.
When: February 8th-12th
Where: The Mysidian Tower on the Continent of Ruin.
Warning: Everything that can be expected of surprise monster encounters. Beyond that, whatever people bring with them.

The Enterprise brings everyone involved to the tower on the afternoon of February 8th. Thankfully the early floors have already been cleared by previous explorers, making the initial entry easy and relatively safe. Once the Heroes start reaching the upper floors, however... Who knows?

All threads will be linked here for easy access:
OOC info post
Ground Floor - Campsite
Friendly Monster
Floors 30-39
Floors 40-49
Floors 50-59
Floors 60-69
Floors 70-79
Floors 80-89
Floors 90-99
Floors 100-101 will be open at a later date.

Comments

[not_most_days]

While Kidd wasn't entirely worried about Logen turning on the rest of the team she joined Ramza in standing by him. She had little to contribute to the investigation of this floor but she could at least keep her eyes alert for any threats.

"I agree. We've come this far. I'd hate for us all to return home the crystal way."

[confidentia]

[ Ace drags his fingers across the claw marks on the floor before rising to his feet and turning his head in Jade's direction. ]

It didn't necessarily have to happen in that order.

[ That said, he begins inspecting the desks in search for any documents that could possibly confirm what for now was merely a theory. It all brings to his mind the images of the technology back in the Milites Empire.... ]

The outbreak might have been caused by whatever had been manufactured within, which is why they ultimately decided to lock the floors. Let's look for more information before we run into any of these things.

[cantante]

[ Tear had stayed quiet about the creature, despite how incredibly... cute it's behaviour had been up until this point. But hearing Ramza's suggestion quickly snaps her out of the reverie. ]

There's someone else who can take it in, isn't there? [ Because she's seen Jade with one of their monster companions. And human companions. ]

[cantante]

If more want to try going up there... I can cast Levitation as well. It would be better to split up our abilities so neither of us overexerts ourselves. [ She looks over to the others wanting to press forward, gauging just hoe much effort it would take and what they could afford when the structure was so precarious. ]

At least, I don't think it should be only one of us going up there to check ahead. [ And should something happen, the other person could still send back a signal or something. ]

[confidentia]

[ Isn't there, indeed. Ace shoots Tear a vaguely expectant look, a tiny smile forming on his lips before he once again turns to the creature. ]

Perhaps it requires some more time to fully recover.

[confidentia]

[ In light of the effort that has been put into reaching this point, Ace finds himself leaning towards exercising patience rather than rushing into things headfirst. However, there are powerful spells being put in motion as they speak, proving that the minds of some of the Heroes have already been made.

In the end, he only allows himself a subtle, albeit skeptical frown as he watches the volunteers walk up. ]

[silencesfate]

... Anyone still in need of healing, get over here. Line up if there's more than a few of you.

[ As they reached closer to the top, gaming instincts would tell you that the final boss is yet to come. But even on the off-chance there isn't anything dangerous, it didn't hurt to be careful and keep everyone patched up with his magic. ]

[confidentia]

[ Even if there no longer seems to be any need to keep their profiles so low, Ace speaks really quietly, just in case. ]

Makes sense. [ The Tower doesn't seem like the most conventional of workplaces, and it's possible that the researchers rarely ever left it. ] Depending on what we find further in, we might consider relocating our base here for an easier access.

... Depending. [ He repeats, continuing to pay close attention to Kidd's cues as he explores the rooms. ]

[soldierofloveandbeauty]

[Minako didn't really have any way of helping for the most part. She trusted those that can work with the computers to be able to get to it. Instead Minako was simply wondering around, eyes looking at every inch of the things.]

So we're waiting for the people who can work these things to go through everything before making our next move? I think I can do that.

[ninjainviolet]

"Yeah, that wasn't quite in my plans today," Sheena said to Jade. "But I wouldn't exactly let our guards down. The last tower I was in wasn't exactly empty when we got to the top." Nope. It had had a few enemies ready to ambush her group, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something similar would happen here.

"It looks like the stuff Cruxis used," she murmured as she eased around the group. But that wasn't what was making her hair stand on end. The computers were there, in the open, like bait...

"I don't like it, either" she agreed with Albel. "Be careful," the ninja warned. "Something doesn't feel right."

[scriptrix]

Yeah, some more light would be good. It looks like we'll be here a while.

[But hey, at least Levy can take half and Robin can take half while the others look for anything else of interest. She pulls out a pair of glasses, putting them on.]

[thegreatninja]

Yuffie didn't focus on the terminal or technology in the room. There were enough people crowded around and eager to look at that. They also seemed to have their attention on it so she decided to skirt around the room as something like a look out.

Dark eyes flicked at anything out of the ordinary hoping that whatever had been in this tower had left.

[thegreatninja]

[Yuffie looks at everyone for a moment and then quickly tosses in her opinion.]

When it comes to old stuff... it probably will turn on and then yield nothing useful.

[That's just what she's used too.]

[thegreatninja]

That sounds like we almost have a plan.

[She's more used to rushing into things so plans are good.

Yuffie walks back towards the stairs and eyes sonic for a moment. After lightly rapping her knuckles against the wall she nods and proceeds to walk up it. She looks down at the ground and crosses her arms.]

Seems good from here.

[She's moving carefully and has enough skill to catch herself if something goes awry.]

Re: [Closed Doors?]

[jadethenecromancer]

[The Ancient writing glows for a few seconds in reaction to Kidd's crystal. Then the door slides open with barely a sound.

Past the door is what looks like an office. There are some dusty bookshelves along the wall and an inactive computer in the corner, but the desk in the middle takes up most of the space.

The yellowed papers lying on the desk are illegible, but there is a notebook in a thick leather casing that seems to have survived the passage of time somewhat better.]

[jadethenecromancer]

Better useless than actively trying to kill us. Shall we move on?

[Walking past the unmoving machines, they do eventually run into the next set of stairs. It's cramped and steep enough that climbing up in little more than torchlight is a test of patience.

Up on the next floor, there is a sense of empty space, suggesting the room is quite large. Still no windows for any light to come through, and the torchlight doesn't reach far.

What they do see near the top of the stairs, however, is the next elevator. At the moment it's quite useless... unless they go around it to the small generator in the back and restore the power to these floors.

What next?]

[jadethenecromancer]

[The second door Kidd checks leads to a corridor identical to the first one, with more rooms opening up to the sides. These are indeed private rooms, containing beds, closets, and personal items. There isn't a lot of space for everything -- it looks like they were mostly intended for sleeping and little else.

The third door opens up to a larger room, with long tables stretching from one end to the other. There are utensils lying around here and there; a few cups have fallen on the floor. There is a counter in the back, lined up with pots.]

Re: Floors 80-89

[jadethenecromancer]

[The text doesn't get any less Ancient, but it does react slightly to Johnny's touch, glowing softly. The glows fades quickly, however... This doesn't seem to be enough to open the door.

The Ancient devices, meanwhile, start to look more and more haphazardly put together the more you look at them. Some look sensible enough -- a part might be mismatched here and there, but not too out of place -- whereas others... You have to wonder if at some point someone gave up and just started throwing things in to see what worked...

Is that a piece of green Materia attached to one device?]

[shinrasfinest]

First thing's first; activating the inactive elevator as given how difficult the last few floors have been, Sephiroth wasn't taking any chances. Having been first on several of the floors below the process should be easy enough by now - almost automatic, perhaps.

Once done, Sephiroth stepped from the lift and turned to face the rest of the room where there were -already- a perpetual swarm of Heroes fawning over the generator and terminals arrangement in the center of the room. He heard someone -Robin, he supposed- mentioning Ancient.

"Are they-" He asked as he strode back towards the group, opting to take a wide approach to bring him to one of the terminals around the other side some. "-in Ancient?"

If so, then that made at least three scholars who could at least translate what might be written on screens or keys. Though, his experience of other floors might well be able to be applied here. Upon reaching a terminal a little way around from where most of the ground was, Sephiroth started to study the terminal itself.

[Closed Doors?]

[shinrasfinest]

Hm.

[That they used Ancient to etch the message onto the door only verifies that there were Master Scholars in the last cycle -or that particular previous cycle- too. Sephiroth is reading the words over and over, copying it into his small notebook as Kidd steps up close. He blinks and meets her gaze side-on for a moment; almost questioning her silent implication about him, before looking back to the door as Kidds crystal is extended passed him towards the door.

The reaction freezes his notebook and pen, as the writing lights up and then the door slides open. The old, settled smell of dusty papers reaches Sephiroth's nose next and crinkles it up as he slips the notebook away and cautiously steps into the room.]

Well, that worked.

[It doesn't take long before he's before that large desk, studying every item on top of the desk with his undeniably stern scrutiny. The leather bound notebook is the obvious find, but Sephiroth wants to make sure he's not missing anything else which might be of note.

Failing that, he takes the notebook from the table, setting his torch atop the desk so that it provides some light while he carefully goes about opening it.]

[tacticallyminded]

Mm-hmm. Certainly.

[She glances at Levy, and then sits at the table.] Shall we begin?

[shinrasfinest]

It was yet another failed attempt at a nap which had just turned into a mild ache. At the front of his head and the small of his back; a symptom, no doubt of the extended period he'd spent sleeping in not-so-comfortable circumstances. With the work he'd put into his Custom Job sometimes causing inexplicable fatigue, Sephiroth had been hopeful that the day of rest he'd taken prior to coming on this expedition would have been enough; clearly that had been short-lived relief.

Sephiroth had shrugged the thermal blanket off himself and tucked his jacket back around his shoulders while sitting back up, pushing the heel of his palm into the space just above and between his eyes as if he might be able to will the headache away. It could simply be the wrong time for him to sleep; being as it was probably the middle of the day still.

"Hm." Clearly, and perhaps a little unusually, Sephiroth hadn't noticed that Albel were there. He brought his hand away from the front of his head and blinked heavily before turning his gaze up towards the other man nearby.

"I'll be fine." Dismissive, as usual. Probably not in all that good of a mood, either.

[jadethenecromancer]

[The first page Levy reads is missing parts of it, and so the text starts in the middle of a paragraph:]

#######are making significant progress with
##########tion. Our team is confident we will
###########retake what we have lost to Narayana
#########e next four months. The largest concern
######e right now is our lack of resources now
###t we are almost completely conf#### to the
Tower. The mechanism will demand more power than
what our normal elemental crystals are capab####
producing, and### have limited time to com######
#omething new. The head scientist proposes #####
###dicating a team to creating entirely ne######
of crystals specialized for this purpose.#######
is looking into protecting the Tower itse######
#uy us a little more time. All is not ye#######

[Robin's text looks like it was written in a rush:]

We are run####### of time. The head scientist
assured me we#####stil##save this planet once the
Tower's failsafe is ready to be activated, but it was
supposed##o be ready weeks ago! Even if the
sim####### get###inished, what good will it do if
w######e the Tower? As it is we barely hav#######
cry##### to keep Narayana at bay at all, muc#####
save######tire planet. We were all counting on ###
failsaf#######to buy us a few more months, maybe
years i########lucky. ##########
I want to ####### there is still hope############
####an't help ######think we###############
########################################

[As Ramza is about to leave, there is a sudden noise behind the shelves. It sounds vaguely like a machine starting up, and after a few seconds, something heavy starts hitting the ground in a rhythm that sounds awful lot like footsteps.]

[shinrasfinest]

[Though Sephiroth is scanning with his eyes in the gloom and slowly progressing with the soldiers providing back up and his katana drawn, he keeps his hearing sharp enough to listen well to the others. They all have plausible theories but it's as Ace said, they're running in blind here...]

To that end, it might help to try and get some extra lighting in here.

[Not only because wielding a torch in one hand and a katana in the other could cause a slight problem should they encounter whatever creature ripped the place to shreds like this.]

At the very least, bring something up from the camp?

[Two of the soldiers who had stayed back by the doorway stood to attention as if expecting the order already, though Sephiroth hasn't yet executed it.]

[jadethenecromancer]

[The computers are indeed in Ancient. It becomes quickly apparent that most of them will require more technical know-how to handle, as some of the data is either encrypted or corrupted. Except for...]

Well, well. What have we here?

[The computer nearest to the generator is surprisingly straightforward. The screen is showing a map of Crystallis, too small to make out any specific locations. There is a blinking circle around the Continent of Ruin. When interacted with, the computer gives a simple prompt in Ancient:]

>Disable barrier?
>Yes
>No