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."

[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. ]

[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."

[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.

[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.

[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

[they_call_me_sonic]

[Sonic takes a curious look at the computer, tilting his head slightly before he accidentally brings up the prompt.]

Hmm... it looks important and I don't think it's the world's most obvious "You Are Here" sign.

We should obviously mess with it because we're not going to get another chance to do so!

[scriptrix]

Disable... barrier?

[Levy blinks at the console.]

The one around the Continent of Ruin? It would certainly make getting here and back a lot easier, as well as communication, but I'm sure the barrier was erected in the first place for a good reason.

[confidentia]

[ Okay, this sounds pretty serious. Ace glances down at Sonic worriedly, hoping his actions won't turn out to be as reckless as his words just now were. ]

It might not stop the Calamity from progressing, but maybe it has the power to slow it down?

[ It just doesn't sit too well with him to press buttons at random, and so he stares at the other Heroes gathered around, wondering what they think. ]

[shinrasfinest]

Agreed.

[Is the grunt of a noise from Sephiroth who had walked around the arrangement of terminals until finding himself at that one with the all-too-simple prompt on it's screen.

But...]

That said, given the proximity of the crystallization already, I wonder if we will have the time to figure it out.

[zodiac_brave]

[Ramza directed a question in Levy's direction, hoping her command of Ancient might give her some insight.]

If we disable the barrier, will we be able to...re-able it?

[scriptrix]

I'm not sure. It seems like we would probably be able to, but I can't tell for sure. It might need time to recharge before we can just turn it back on.

[Levy maneuvers her way to in front of the console, trying to find more information if it's available.]

[jadethenecromancer]

We don't have to make a decision right away. Now that I've been here, I can teleport back at any time to disable it.

[They should still have a few weeks before the Calamity reaches the Tower.]

I suggest we speak with Cid and the Sage about it. As the leaders of Aqures Ixen and Mysidia, matters of national security and trade should be their call to make.

[they_call_me_sonic]

Ask them for WHAT?!

[Aaand Sonic's looking very frustrated as it seems that they're being told to 'wait'.]

Look, I hate to say it, but we don't HAVE that time! You run off to ask that, we'll be in traction until it's too late. What if this place gets crystallized and the barrier DOESN'T go down?! There's no way we'll be able to save everyone on the continent if we need to save them. And even if the barrier doesn't go down, I'm not putting it against Polly-Tutu or anyone else to know how to copy Cid's little barrier piercing thing!

If you guys want to fiddle around with politics or the Sage's cryptic mumbo-jumbo, you guys do that. I'm bringing that barrier down.

[not_most_days]

[Kidd frowns as she listens to all of this. She sees the point on both sides of what to do with the barrier. Travel would certainly be easier, but the barrier likely existed for a reason.]

It's entirely possible that the barrier was meant to keep something on this continent. Not simply to keep everyone else out. Given all the things we've seen in this world and the trouble the Ancients have left behind it may well serve a purpose in both directions. Keeping the Calamity out may seem the likely reason for the barrier but there's all manner of reasons it could be here.

[She glances at Sonic and nods.]

I do agree somewhat with Sonic. I don't expect any of our allies will give us any definitive sort of opinion on the matter. I expect the Sage is more likely to throw us into another hallucination about murdering each other in this room as we fight over the decision.

[thegreatninja]

[This conversation has taken a turn that is making Yuffie feel a little unsure.]

We can't rashly put people in danger...

[There are people she really wants to protect.]

Besides; teleporting is instant. It won't actually take that long and I'm not a scientist or anything but we had two years before the crystal swallowed everything. So while we need to be quick I don't think we should rush.

[confidentia]

Yes, there is very little time, but....

[ Ace shakes his head. In the end, both sides have brought up some valid points. ]

Let's not forget that we haven't yet reached the very top of the Tower. I'm inclined to believe that what we'll find might shed some light on the real purpose of the barrier.

[shinrasfinest]

Or the whole generator might just blow once we turn it off.

[The comment was out in response to Levy before Sephiroth were able to stop it. Flicking his attention all around the various others as they put their two cents in. Finally resting on Sonic directly, if he'd even more a finger in the way to press any buttons it might just prompt Sephiroth to cut it off.]

Lets think about this thoroughly before letting our hearts rule our heads. There are likely things on both this Continent, and out there in the rest of the world that this barrier has been intended to separate.

This is not a call for us to make.

[Ace's suggestion breaks Sephiroth's supervision of Sonic and he looks over the other man there, before looking over in the direction of the stairwell in the back of the room.]

Potentially...

[ninjainviolet]

Sheena's been listening to this exchange, and while she agrees with making a decision, for the first time, her emotions are telling her not to be rash. Leaving her circling of the room behind, she reaches out to point at the monitor.

"Would the Calamity crystallize the barrier if it's left on?"

Because she doesn't remember seeing that in her vision.

[cantante]

... There were still those who had made the city their base, enough of the continent was left unaffected toward the beginning of that end. [ Though Tear could see the logic in both sides, she would much sooner jump in to stop anyone from making any rash decision like touching machinery they weren't overly familiar with. ]

Whether we actually mess with what's here, we probably still have enough time to explore the rest of this Tower like Ace suggested. So why don't we do that rather than change anything and destroy any potential clues in the process?

[soldierofloveandbeauty]

I m down with not touching anything right now at least. Because as people say who knows what might happen without the right information.

[Not that Minako was doing much herself, but however she was still watching the others to see what else they have to say.]

[jadethenecromancer]

[Jade isn't particularly shaken by Sonic's little outburst. Youth these days, so hot-headed...]

Then we all agree to move on for the time being? Excellent. [He's not going to actually wait for any protests before turning to the stairs.] Fighters first, please~

[Up on Floor 101, they'll finally reach the main room. The room is quite spacious, and there is a row of containers in one corner, more computers in another. A portion of the floor opens up to what appears to be a viewing deck of some sort, greeting the Heroes with gusts of wind and giving them quite a view of just how high up they are. If they look east, they can even see the crystallized earth in the distance as the Calamity gradually approaches.

The other noticeable thing in the room, however, is the machine in the middle. It resembles a large round table with control panels embedded around it, as well as slots that seem like something should be placed in them.]

[they_call_me_sonic]

[Congratulations, everyone! You have effectively shown Sonic that you guys are still being lead by your noses by people we still barely know. It may be a temper tantrum, but Sonic's going to lag behind when going up to the final floor and once he's there, he's up on one of the canisters, leaning back and essentially phoning in the rest of the adventure unless something big happens.

He doesn't like being told what to do and he certainly doesn't like vagueness because someone was nice to them.]

[shinrasfinest]

[Fighters first? Sephiroth looks to Jade with two fine eyebrows raised. Clearly not appreciating the teacher-like tone he picks up on in the words just then. Still, as part Scholar right now he's hardly adequate as a front-line and so he'll follow somewhere in the middle of the group as they head for, and climb the stairs to Floor 101.

Looking around, it doesn't take very long for Sephiroth's attention to be taken by the gusts of wind rushing from the viewing platform. He steps closer, yet not so close as might be dangerous and squints through the wind at the landscape below and out from them. The sight of the Calamity working away in the distance is pretty breathtaking in it's own right.

A few moments later and he turns first to the machine in the middle. Running a leather clad finger along the edge of one of the control panels and eyeing the odd slots nearest to it. It looks a little like something they'd put their crystals in, perhaps?]