Stiltzkin's Castle Exploration

[scriptrix]

Characters: Team Fairy Tail (Levy McGarden, Robin, Tsubomi Hanasaki, Ib, Cloud Strife, Morgan), Team Abyss (Luke fon Fabre, Tear Grants, Jade Curtiss, Guy Cecil, Anise Tatlin, Gaara, Selen), Team Nameless (Lydia Deetz, Bartender, Tazrenda, Gaius Van Belsar, K'pandolu Tohka, Olivier Armstrong), Team Discovery Channel (Allenby Beardsley, Yugi Mutou, Gregory, Jude Maverick, Bartz Klauser, Yuri Lowell)
Where: Stiltzkin's Castle
When: The month of June through July 4th at nebulous points in time - groups should bear in mind it takes 10-15 days to get there and back
Summary: Exploring a dungeon we won't have access to pretty soon
Warnings: Unknown!

((OOC: This is basically freeform exploration of the inside of Stiltzkin's Castle.  Each group will have its own subthread to roleplay exploring the castle.  Anything significant in the way of monsters to fight, treasure to loot, or information to find will be explained by the mods if any of the groups happen to look in the right places.  As for the mechanics of the Castle, physical attack power and Job levels are reversed inside - for example, White Mages will be as physically strong as the more combat-oriented Jobs.  As far as Job levels are concerned, it's essentially 12 months minus the amount you actually have in the Job.  So anyone at an Initial level would be considered to have the Job mastered, and everything in between - if you're 3 months in, treat your character as 9 months in.  Higher level techniques will be weaker than lower leveled ones.  All of this information has been made public to the characters venturing into the Castle, so assume that everyone on the expedition knows about that.  Any questions that aren't covered here should be directed to the mods.))

Comments

[her_rose_is_red]

You found a secret room? Where? How do we get in?


[Ib runs over excitedly, and starts poking at various places on the wall, hoping to get lucky.]

Maybe we should pull on a candle holder! I saw that in a cartoon once.

[bag_has_snapped]

But, how will we know if it worked?

[And Tsubomi goes to join the others, feeling over other spots.]

I-I mean, what if we pull on and everyone disapp-- oh, wait.

sorry for the delay!

[nosferatanking]

Good job, Levy!

[And Morgan joins in the search as well, carefully searching the walls. Maybe there was some sort of hint where the switch was hidden?]

[As he searches, he turns towards Ib.]

I don't know about a candlestick, but maybe there's some other sort of key in this room?

[scriptrix]

We should look closely for something out of place in the pattern of the wall carvings. It's probably disguised, but it has to be somewhere close to the hollow area.

[Levy continues to run her hand along that section of wall, looking closely and trying to feel out any inconsistencies.]

[melodiesmods]

[It's bumpy everywhere as the carvings cover the entire section. When Levy runs her hand over one of the pillar beams, she feels a small gap in the corner where the extrusion meets the wall.

If anyone looks closely, they will see a small lever hiding in that hole.]

[scriptrix]

[And flick goes the lever!]

[melodiesmods]

[The floor shakes, and the walls part to reveal a room, lit only by the few torches hanging on the plain stone walls. It's too dark to see what's on the other end, but from where the party is standing, four treasure chests are visible.

One in the northwest corner of the room, one in the northeast, one in the southwest, and one in the southeast.

[her_rose_is_red]

[Ib gasps as the walls move aside.]

Oh! There really is a secret room!

[Excitedly, she peeks inside.]

There's so many chests, do you think this was the treasure room?

[Or an obvious trap. But she's ten. Treasure room is way more exciting.]

[tacticallyminded]

Now, that's what I call exploring!

[Robin beams and claps her hands together, but then she looks at Ib. She considers, before she nods.]

Let's true the northwest one first. It could be trapped -- we should be careful, because of that.

[neverfirstclass]

[Cloud nods in agreement with Robin.]

A few of us should keep our distance as we open these, in case it's a trap. He raises his shield and takes his place in the middle distance, ready to rush in if need be. Hopefully they were all just being overly cautious.

[bag_has_snapped]

I-I'll stay back, too. Be careful, everyone!

[And Tsubomi joins Cloud, more or less ready for anything should she need to race in.]

[nosferatanking]

Maybe we should see if we can figure out what the traps are before we open them?

[They were probably right about the chests being trapped, but in what way? Poison? Enemies? Would the ceiling collapse? They wouldn't know until they checked, right? Hopefully not setting off the traps in the process?]

[scriptrix]

Or if there actually are any traps at all. We could just be worrying over nothing.

[Even saying that, however, Levy hasn't made a move either.]

[tacticallyminded]

I'll go inspect.

[And inspect she does, giving the chest a good once over for any obvious traps. But alas, she's not a Thief.]

[melodiesmods]

[Robin does not spot anything immediately unusual with this chest.]

[tacticallyminded]

[TIME TO GET LOOT]

[She opens it!]

[melodiesmods]

[The chest opens and...

Out comes a chimera! Finally revealed from its hiding location, the lion lets out a terrifying roar before one of the snake heads attacks the party with Aqua Breath.]

Levy's using Libra - can I get a mod comment with weaknesses so she can tell people this turn?

[scriptrix]

A monster...!

[Levy's cry is partially drowned out by the gurgly sounds of Aqua Breath going off, but oddly she finds herself far more resilient than she had normally expected. The effect of being a relatively low level Scholar / Black Mage combo, apparently.]

I'll scan its weakness! Everyone, get ready!

[Using Libra, Levy looks close to try to see if she can discern anything the chimera might be weak to. If she finds anything, she'll shout it out to the rest of the group so they can make use of it.]

[melodiesmods]

[The scan reads that this chimera does not have any elemental weaknesses, and it should be highly resistant to physical attacks.]

[her_rose_is_red]

H-hang on! I have an idea!

[Ib takes a step back and casts Copies, creating illusory versions of each of her friends.]

Now it won't know who to attack.

[She hopes.]

[tacticallyminded]

Oh no!

[Robin lifts a hand up and falls on an old standby: in this case, Thunder. A bolt of lightning drops down, shooting towards the Chimera!]

[bag_has_snapped]

Robin!

[And Tsubomi joins in on the Thunder spam, though her Chocobo does the more sensible thing and try to pull Robin out of its reach.]

[melodiesmods]

[The chimera is unfettered by the copies and twists its head to aim its breath at the entire group.

When the Thunder spell hits, it staggers and stops its attack.]

[scriptrix]

[Levy winces sharply, expecting to be hit with another spell, when the monster abruptly stops. Opening her eyes, she blinks in confusion, but decides it's best to capitalize on the momentary distraction.]

I think we stunned it! Keep going! Capture it if you can - Ashe said the arena is still missing one of these!

[And in the spirit of continuing to beat the monster back, Levy flips open the book she uses with her Scholar Job, casting a Flare spell at the great beast. If her reasoning holds, even though it's resistant to elemental attacks, it should take full damage from a non-elemental attack like Flare even though it's still magic.]

[melodiesmods]

[The Flare attack is a lot stronger than expected, and it hits the other snake head, sending it flailing back as it hisses.

This angers the lion head, and it charges at the Hero closest to it head-on.]