Finished [Greystone - Ryke] The Howling Depths

Spoiled Bread
"Looks like the signs are pointing toward something capable of using magic being involved at the very least then...or at minimum capable of creating catalysts." Scarlett nodded in agreement based on what they had collectively discovered, as well as hearing what Adelhein had to say on the matter.

"Even if it's definitive we should consider that whatever we may encounter could have tried performing the ritual you mention..I mean it is possible this was a a total accident best case scenario to be honest..either way better to be safe than sorry, so let's nip this thing while the trail is still hot."

"And..yeah nice job Aqua." She gave a thumbs up toward Aqua after Demeter complimented her.

Then there was the matter of the cat, Scarlett shrugged. Before giving a nod. She wasn't particularly hung up on it, she had only even really noticed because Aureus decided to bring it up anyway.

Scarlett having some more skills in close quarter combat than some other of the magic users there, would also stay closer to the front near Demeter, still letting her take the lead with her sight advantage, as well as admirable undeniable power.

"I mean if they come I'll crush e'm but I feel like I've seen enough bugs.." Scarlett added in agreement.

Then they got to a point where there was a choice of paths. She listened to Demeter and the others make their points. "Tch, personally I'm pretty confident in Demeter and Adelhein's abilities to help us not get killed if the worst happens, so why don't we just take the right path, and make good use of that vantage point if we can."

"I gotta say though on the off chance I end up falling to my death, I will be haunting whoever fails to catch or teleport me, that's a promise." She'd give a bit of a playful grin toward the currently more powerful duo of Magno Sapiente Victori.

Scarlett could only imagine what her mother would be telling her right now if she saw she was agreeing to go take the arguably less stable path, but she wasn't there and what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her right?

Regardless she was ready to head wherever the group ended up going, moving as unified front would be safer. Hopefully Artoria wouldn't be too annoyed about It all either, Scarlett would prefer less attitude and more action if possible on that end of things, already imaging she was going to get more than enough of it from Justin-sama.

Rev IX · Jan 23, 2025

Aureus Albion

Aureus decided to follow on Adelhein's words, and dimiss the stray cat. Then focusing on the conclusions he drew from Aqua's finding. Which were pretty much the same as what the shy mage had found out, making the elf opt out of repeating what was already stated.

He then retreated back to his own bubble, staying quiet as the group ventured into the massive pit. To those sharp enough, it would be clear that the venturing had worn out the frail elf. With a worked breath, and a few beads of sweat running down his face. And even so, he said nothing, not wanting to show his weakness or even being considered dead weight. Working out should really be a priority for him. Going out for a jog around the estate in his nights of solitude might be a good start.

But he was digressing.

Aureus' focus kicked into gear once his name was called out. Gilgamesh, Demeter and Scarlett seemed confident in braving the risk the vantage structure could present. Which also seemed to be what his gut told him as well. "It might be a good spot for me to launch a flare. If we want to take more advantage of that route." He stated, as he started to figure out a mana configuration to make something like a flare.

Naturally, Aureus completely ignored Justin's words. Unless it was a threat to his comrades, he wasn't interested in him in the slightest. And he hoped it could stay that way.

Spoiled Bread · Jan 24, 2025

Aqua

"Y-yeah, I look another way and Shadow suddenly vanished... I guess that's what cat do, I just hope he's safe somewhere." Aqua said with her shoulders slumped. She didn't exactly think of making the cat into her familiar, but... she might just wants a pet. Maybe she would look for one latter, or look for a summon.

Aqua had a slight blush and a sheepish as Demeter and Scarlett complimented her. She wasn't really used to get praised but she appreciated it and glad that she's able to help in some way. Aqua awkwardly gave Scarlett a thumb up back.

As the group descend into the sinkhole, Aqua followed silently on the rear. She was rather tense but unlike her previous experience she was able to refrain herself from panicking for no reason. Once the group reached the branching path Aqua looked at both of the options. She wasn't sure if they can actually gain much by using the vantage provided by the watchtower with this much darkness inside the sinkhole, but on the other hand she's not too keen on walking near the collapsed building either.

"I-I guess the right path is slightly better." She replied undecisively.

Maxxob · Jan 25, 2025

Adelhein El-Melloi von Breyer // Artoria // Gilgamesh

Titles:
Adelhein: [Isekai], [Human], [Adept Magus], [Arcane Seeker] Color - #e60e0e
Saber Alter: [Isekai], [Construct], [Adept Swordsman] Color - #470c85
Gilgamesh: [Isekai], [Construct], [Adept Mage] Color - #d3fa5c

Corruption

0%

Saber Alter's Influence

15%

Gilgamesh's Influence

5%

Spoiled Bread @Crescent King @Bartre

Adelhein listened intently to the opinions of the [Magno Sapiente Victori], the first one who chose to speak up was Demeter.

“Your reasoning of going through the right path is sound… but remember that you may be the one who slips and fall, meanwhile I wouldn’t be able to properly see you to teleport you back to safety. That is, if you happen to not be able to focus properly to teleport yourself back.” The young magus began, crossing his arms. “The same goes for anyone else here who happens to misstep.”

Taking a small step, he peered over into the black abyss. “I think I can see about… 10ft? 15ft maximum into the sinkhole? Assuming that gravity here works just like on Earth, you will travel 16ft in the first second of free-fall. After a single second, you would be out of my reach.” As he explained the situation, without sugarcoating, he wasn’t even bothered that Justin could become aware of him not being a native to that world.

“Still, it does sound better than being inside a building while it collapses towards the same pit. At least, out here, we won’t be trapped inside what is practically a coffin, if it happens.” Letting out a sigh, the right path appeared to be marginally better in that sense. Uncrossing his arms, he had reached a decision. “We will go through the right path.”

“As expected from the one I allowed to form a contract with me. Truly, you prove my discernment impeccable, Adelhein~” Gilgamesh added with a playful lilt, casting a triumphant glance toward the Wyrm.

“Very well, my Master. If this path leads to nothing, I shall ensure we waste no more time with hesitation.” Artoria’s molten gaze flicked toward her golden counterpart, her scowl deepening.

Turning towards Scarlett, Adelhein shoot back a playful grin back. “Don’t you worry. I wouldn’t allow that to happen, neither with you nor anyone else. And, to that end, I have the solution which doesn’t rely on magecraft or the arcane.”

Rummaging through the group’s belongings, Adelhein would produce the rope which they had acquired before they left the adventurer’s guild. “Everyone, tie the rope around your waists. That way, if one of us happen to fall, the others can pull them up again. Or, at the very least, it will limit how far they will fall.” It was a rather simple solution, mundane, one that he disliked… but it seemed necessary.

“Hmph. A simple plan, yet a prudent one, Adelhein. It would be unwise to risk losing valuable members of your retinue to this abyss. Tie your ropes and proceed with care. I shall also become bound, if only to help if the need arises, for no pit dares claim the King of Heroes.” Gilgamesh said, fastening some of the rope around her armor.

“A practical precaution. Ensuring their safety ensures your own progress, Master.” Her molten gaze swept over the group, a flicker of approval in her tone. “Very well. I shall comply, though I will rely on my own strength should the need arise.” Artoria did the same.

And, with Adelhein also fastening it around his waist, firmly, he would pass the rope around, hoping the other members, and even Justin, would do the same.

After that was done (or not), the young magus brought his hand forward, aiming towards the right path. “Vires Metallicae!” The mana of the surrounding air would become to thicken, forming artificial made metal. It would shoot towards the path, in five different intervals as far as he could see. The splashes, after touching the surface, would form platforms with 15ft radius each.

While doing so, he heard Aureus. “A flare, or a few, would be a good choice. It would give us a better idea of what is waiting us downward.”

When he was done fortifying the structure ahead, as much as was possible anyway, he looked over all those present, before shifting his gaze to the path ahead. “Let’s continue.”

1 - Vires Metallicae - Magic E + Magic Range F + Magic Duration F [Meta Magic] + Energized E + Magic AoE F + Barrier E + Magic Targets F - Up to 30ft, Adelhein can aim up to 5 distinct locations to generate metallic platforms, each one with a 15ft radius - E Grade 0 Post Cooldown

CDs: E 0/0 Locked for 0/1

Maxxob · Jan 25, 2025

Maxxob | Adelhein

TheTimePiece | Scarlett

Gwen_Temi | Demeter

Rev IX | Aureus

Spoiled Bread | Aqua
@Bartre | Yuki

With the decision made, the party gravitated toward the right-hand path, mindful of the precarious ruins around them. Flickers of torchlight caught the battered remains of a tilted watchtower looming ahead—its upper half snapped off, leaving only a leaning stump of stone and fractured beams perched over a void. A faint draft stirred the stale air, carrying distant echoes from unseen caverns below.

The Rope Method

At Adelhein’s suggestion, it was left to each member to secure the sturdy rope around their waist. Some might have tested the knots with care—none seemed willing to entrust their life to a single slip of the hand.

Gilgamesh did so with an air of casual boredom, glancing now and then at her golden gauntlet, perhaps ensuring her own enchantments wouldn’t snag on the rope.
Artoria, stern as ever, tugged once on the knot, satisfied.
Justin-sama eyed the rope warily, as though it might offend his dignified armor. Reluctantly, he complied, muttering about unnecessary theatrics. Yet the luminous patterns on his plates dimmed slightly, perhaps adjusting to contact with mundane fiber.

A subtle tension ran through the line that now connected them all. If one misstep threatened to send a member plunging, the others could anchor and pull them back—assuming the ground itself did not crumble beneath them.

Vires Metallicae

With a flourish of his hand, Adelhein wove arcane energies into glimmering metallic platforms along the path. Pieces of shining metal coalesced into five distinct footholds, each about fifteen feet across, bridging gaps or reinforcing loose ledges. They glinted under torchlight like brand-new steel set against the dank rock.

One platform braced the base of the watchtower, buttressing the fractured foundation.
Another sealed a crumbling section of the ledge, preventing immediate collapse.
The rest formed stepping stones extending to the next stable outcrop, each ringed by rivulets of dust and debris that crumbled off the edges.

Aureus readied the idea of a flare in case they needed a burst of light below.

Justin’s Reaction

The pompous adventurer tested the first metal platform with a firm stomp, an act half-suspicious, half-challenging. A visible ripple of blue wards flickered along his greaves, apparently scanning the surface for weakness.

Justin-sama

“Hmph,” he said quietly, attempting a dismissive tone. “This conjured plate will hold.”

He offered no further praise, but at least he no longer sneered at the notion of extra footing.

Approaching the Watchtower

The group advanced with deliberate care. Each step sent gravel skittering off the cliff, clattering into the unseen depths. A parted section of the tower’s outer wall opened a vantage across the sinkhole’s interior—but little could be discerned through the gloom. Even for those with decent night vision, the darkness swallowed details beyond a few dozen feet, needing some a bit extra.

From this angle, however, the party caught glimpses of crystalline flickers in the stone below—tiny, star-like glints that might be more of the mana-infused shards Aqua once found. They twinkled just out of easy reach, lining hidden crevices. The watchtower’s interior, partially collapsed, held a battered spiral stair that descended a short way, perhaps to a guardroom now half-buried in rubble.

Subtle Shifts & Distant Echoes

A low, vibrating hum rumbled through the ground—whether a natural settling of debris or a harbinger of deeper trouble was impossible to tell. Far below, the faint sound of stone scraping against stone drifted upward. At times, it almost sounded like a labored breathing, or the rasp of carapace over rock.

The party’s rope line grew taut as they clustered on the wide metal platform bridging the watchtower’s base. The route ahead wound downward behind the tilted structure. One wrong step along the broken floor could send debris sliding away.

Would they examine the watchtower further, hoping to glean a vantage or useful items within, or press on toward the lower levels? Tension lingered—Gilgamesh and Artoria each brimming with readiness, Justin eager to push forward, the rest poised to handle sudden misfortune. Somewhere in that dark labyrinth, the cause of Greystone’s downfall lay in wait.

Torches
Rope
Shovel
Compass

Gwen_Temi · Jan 26, 2025

Demeter

Demeter glanced down at the rope as it was passed into her hands.

She had mixed feelings about the entire group being tied together. On the one hand, it would give everyone a chance to react and pull up one of their own if they fell. The tug of the rope helping to inform one's companions of a fatal mistake quicker than their words might've. On the other, it threatened to drag the entire team off of a cliff depending on just how that person who fell... fell. And it might've distracted those who otherwise would've been able to catch the one who fell with magic. It was a double-edged sword as Demeter saw it.

She glanced back up at Adelhein.

"Are you sure we nee-"

Both Artoria's and Gilgamesh's words gave her pause.

Truth be told, Demeter had enough confidence in the party's abilities to feel as though they didn't need the rope connecting them all. So long as those who fell carried a torch in their hands, she had no doubt that Adelhein would've been able to see them and catch them. And she'd have seen them either way. But, she heard both Gilgamesh and Artoria give their approval of the idea. Even Justin-sama, of all people, eagerly obliged and strapped himself in. Demeter decided to keep her thoughts to herself. Having something to give the team peace of mind, alone, was enough reason for her to still her tongue and wrap the rope around her waist.

In the end, it did nothing to take away that strengths that gave the confidence she had with her party to begin with.

Adelhein began to use his metallic sorcery to reinforce the path as the party made its way towards the watchtower. And, despite the looming darkness, treacherous pathways, and the threat of attack from whatever had been skittering around in the depths? Demeter was about as calm as she could've been alongside her companions. Confident, even. As they approached the vantage point, Demeter stepped forward. Well, as much as the rope around her waist would allow, at least.

"Let me take a look around before we move any further. Should save us some time."

It was time for Demeter to fulfill her role to the party and scout.

She extended her senses into the depths and through the physical barriers that surrounded them. With her [Clairvoyance], she would peer through the walls of the Watchtower and search its many rooms- or at least all those within her range- for any items of value or dangers. Any gold or trinkets that might've let her keep her part of the deal with Justin-sama, and any catalysts, magical relics or texts that added to her team's coffers. Or anything that they might've wanted to kill before it tried to sneak up behind them. No need to waste her team's precious time searching. That was her job down here on this expedition, and she planned to do it.

Then, she'd gaze out into the abyss beside them, taking note of the infrastructure of the pit and any details that stood out enough to merit bringing to her party's attention. The academics in the group would likely be able to make sense of any unusual phenomenon she might've seen that she could not.

Lastly, she'd gaze out far ahead of the path on which they walked and peer through both the darkness and stone; searching for any dangers that they concealed, whether they came in the form of enemies lying in wait to strike or cleverly concealed traps that the average adventurer would fail to detect within the darkness. Or, anything crawling below that might've been planning to drop the ground out from beneath their feet as they had done to the city of Greystone, itself.

She would report, well... any findings actually worth reporting to the group immediately.

After the Scan

And there was quite a lot to report. But Demeter would focus on the details that seemed most relevant to their quest.

"There are... magic crystals all over the place down here. I guess that's not surprising. There are HUGE cracks running through the ground, too. Probably not surprising, either. Try not set off any explosions or slam against the walls too hard. Might cause muuuuuuuch more of a landslide than I initially thought. Or bring down some of the rubble hanging overhead."

She'd point up towards a slabs of rock and half-buried timbers that hung over the path up ahead. None of her companions would've been able to see them, but at least she could've made them more aware of their surroundings.

"There are... a lot of tunnels running through the ground down below, but most are too small for us to try to fit into. And there's a bug- real big one- about 80ft below us. Not doing much. Curled up behind a rock. Probably waiting for someone to stumble upon it in the dark so it can try to get a jump on them. Might be related to whatever dug out the tunnels down there. Can't see the way that leads to it, though. The path curves out of my sight, at least from here. The path ahead looks clear, though. Don't sense any enemies. Don't sense any traps, either. But, before we press on..."

She then turned and pointed towards the guard tower; tapping on Justin-sama's shoulder pauldrons to draw his attention, specifically.

"There's something shiny in that tower that might be worth something to ya. And, there's a shield in there that looks like it's enchanted," she squinted for a moment, "Or... or at least it might have been enchanted at some point. Something for both of us, looks like. Wouldn't step foot in there, though. Whole place looks like it's ready to jump. Top floor's ready to cave in, too. Let me see if I can maybe..."

Demeter brought her hands up; forearms parallel to the ground and palms turned upwards as though she were preparing to catch something. And she would prepare herself to cast another spell shortly.

"...bring both of em' to us."

HP: 6/6
Heavy Armor: 1/1
Passives:
1). Resilient F (Surprised)

Actions (2/3):
1) Move to a good spot to scout their surroundings.
2) Use [Clairvoyance] to scout the area in a radius of 100ft. Demeter would take special care to note any items of value within the tower, the infrastructure of the pit, and any dangers that might've been hidden in the area surrounding the party.

Clairvoyance- Super Sense [X-Ray Vision] E (1), Perception E, Feature [Darkvision], Energized E - Demeter utilizes her sixth sense to peer straight through walls and analyze her surroundings. Great for finding secret passages, hidden items, and enemies hidden behind cover- 1 actions- 100ft radius- Grade E- 0 post cooldown.

TheTimePiece · Jan 26, 2025

Scarlett Ashford

Scarlett once again found Adelhein's summons back and forth to be somewhat humorous, but she didn't comment on it for the time being, quite pleasantly surprised to hear Adelhein didn't plan on letting any of them get killed if he could help it. A method that doesn't use magecraft or the arcane? She'd think to herself when he mentioned that bit, before she saw him explain the rope method.

She'd chuckle a bit, "And here I thought it might be something a bit more..how do I say, grandiose coming from you, but hey, if it works then I'm game." She'd add a tad playfully, taking the rope and also partaking In the tying around herself for safety reasons. While she still felt confident that Demeter and Adelhein could handle them, if the worst happened and say either or even both of them fell, they'd at least have a chance to to save them as a group.

"Yeah, a flare would be pretty nice, I think your skillset will be most suited for making them at the moment." She'd add to the other caster who could harness the power of fire, even if Scarlett had fire and wind, she felt like Aureus probably had a safer way to go about doing flares with his toolkit so to speak.

She'd do what she could to ignore any murmurings from Justin-sama which weren't relevant to the current operation but just his personal complaints , which frankly Scarlett didn't really care about the at the moment unless they concerned the success of the group in a tangible way.

Scarlett was rather impressed with Adelhein's casting with the platforms he created for the group, they were strategically placed from what she could gather, once again showing his general competence which was not lost on her.

"What a disaster.." she'd murmur looking over the sight of the partially destroyed watch tower, taking notice of the curious flickers. She really did wonder if there'd be anything magical of use to them left given what they had worked together to determine bout the origin of the blast.. even so for now, after moving with great intention, across, she waited when they got to the point of deciding what they were going to do next, and waited for Demeter to do her thing when she said she'd save them some time by looking ahead.

"That's..a really useful ability Demeter. Kind of wish I knew how to do that." She'd mention, while waiting for her to stop looking around. When she did she'd listen to Demeter carefully.

"Another bug? Seriously?" Scarlett pouted a bit. "More of those awful things, whatever, if it's strong or not we'll crush it if we have too."

"And I guess it's a lot better than having to fight more intelligent life. Could you gather if it looked like it'd be suspctable to fire damage? Or does It's outside look like it could be resistant?" She'd ask.

Scarlett then nodded, hopefully Demeter would be able to just magic the valuables to them if that's what she was trying to do, based on her words and actions it sounded kinda like it.

"I trust your judgment on that then, I don't think any of us really want to get caught up in a collapse."

Rev IX · Jan 28, 2025

Aureus Albion

Aureus silently followed suit in attaching himself to the rope, seeing as danger was just around the corner. Or at the very least, clearly felt like it. Upon having more than one approving voice to his idea. Three pebbles were quickly morphed into... pebbles? They did still look like small rocks, but their shape was now of a sphere, with a lot of previously missing red veins of material on its surface.

Moving along, while eyeing Justin's reactions to the rope and the metal platforms, he put his focus on Demeter's superb scouting skills. Seeing as she did provide plenty of help as to their next steps, he simply made a passing comment on his makeshift flares.

"These are ready to use, but they have low power, so their effective range is limited."

After that, he mentally retreated to the background again. Silently observing and waiting for his time to speak, in a way.

Spoiled Bread · Jan 29, 2025

Aqua

Aqua carefully tied the rope around her waist. She couldn't help but comparing their current situation with a video game she played on her previous life about two people tied with each other with chain as they try to climb up a tower. On one hand, its true that the rope would prevent one or two people from falling if it does happen, on the other hand if half or more of them fall at the same time the rope might drag the rest too. Especially since most of them probably only had average strength, being academic mage and all. At least the rope would make sure each person would always within the sight range of the other one.

Seemed like Demeter sensed some enchanted items within the watchtower. Aqua wasn't sure if they should spend their time digging for items right away, but she still offers her help anyway.

"I-I can try reinforcing some of the structures with ice, i-if needed."

Maxxob · Jan 29, 2025

Adelhein El-Melloi von Breyer // Artoria // Gilgamesh

Titles:
Adelhein: [Isekai], [Human], [Adept Magus], [Arcane Seeker] Color - #e60e0e
Saber Alter: [Isekai], [Construct], [Adept Swordsman] Color - #470c85
Gilgamesh: [Isekai], [Construct], [Adept Mage] Color - #d3fa5c

Corruption

0%

Saber Alter's Influence

15%

Gilgamesh's Influence

5%

Spoiled Bread @Crescent King @Bartre

Seeing that the others tying up the rope around their waist as well, following the plan he had suggested, Adelhein's expression softened, if only slightly.

"Mmm?" A flash of red crossed Adelhein's cheeks upon hearing Scarlett's comment, prompting the young magus to look away and raise his nose slightly. "I could have used magecraft, if it was the only way, but we should put the supplies we brought with us to use." His tone was slightly flustered. If his words were true or not was anyone's guess. Slowly he would look back, the blush dissipating with each passing moment. "I've to keep ready in the case of an emergency." He murmured.

As the group approached the watchtower, Adelhein's crimson eyes peered towards its destroyed state. "Disaster would be an understatement. I find it hard to believe that, whatever caused this, won't have some sort of correlation to arcane or, at the very least, 'supernatural' of sorts." The young magus joined the red-haired mage.

After listening to Demeter's report on the situation, he nodded. "Excellent work, Demeter. Now we have a better idea of our surroundings. Caves are becoming rather trivial to you." He smirked. "I pity the students who crossed your path in that pitch-black testing ground."

Scratching his chin, he began pondering some of the information he had received. "Still, more bugs? Are gigantic bugs commonplace in Ryke?" He asked the others.

Waiting for Demeter to try and teleport the valuables of watchtower towards the group, he turned to both Aureus and Aqua. "Sure thing, go right ahead. Trying to get more vision and reinforcing the structure doesn't hurt." Adelhein was eager to see what sort of return both of them would get from their attempts. Observation was his role for the moment.

With the metallic platforms still holding up, the young magus chose to once more produce one of the items the group had brought to this place: the compass. Holding it in a levelled manner, he tried to peer into the object to know from which direction they came from. That way, at least he would know what direction to follow to leave the sinkhole.

1 - Use the compass

CDs: E 0/0 Locked for 1/1 Vires Metallicae

Maxxob · Jan 29, 2025

Maxxob | Adelhein

TheTimePiece | Scarlett

Gwen_Temi | Demeter

Rev IX | Aureus

Spoiled Bread | Aqua
@Bartre | Yuki

The party stood gathered on one of Adelhein’s metallic platforms, ropes taut around their waists. The collapsed watchtower stretched above and below—its upper floors a jagged skeleton of wood and stone, its lower guardroom partially buried in rubble. Demeter’s scouting had revealed both potential loot—a sealed footlocker, a battered shield—and cautionary hazards: weak structural integrity, cracks lacing the basement walls, and precarious overhead debris.

Planning the Retrieval

While Demeter prepared to bring the items to them, Aqua and Aureus readied themselves. Aqua stood by to reinforce any key points with ice, while Aureus gripped his small flare-like stones, should they need extra illumination deeper into the watchtower or the pit. A faint breeze drifted up from below, carrying a whiff of stale earth and distant sulfur.

Artoria kept her torch aloft, scanning the darkness for any signs of approaching threats.
Gilgamesh lounged at the edge of the platform, eyes half-lidded but fully alert. She occasionally peered down the slope with an air of expectant amusement.
Justin-sama frowned at the mention of “worth something.” He stepped closer, arms crossed, clearly more intrigued by potential treasure than the corroded structure. The magical glow of his gear flared for an instant as though testing ambient mana levels.

Demeter’s earlier assessment made it clear that venturing directly into the guardroom might cause more harm than good. A wrong step could bring the overhead debris crashing down, or shift the lower floor enough to unbalance the rest of the tower.

A Tower on the Brink

Inside the watchtower’s basement—visible only to Demeter’s x-ray sight—timbers groaned under shifting weight. Broken masonry formed pockets of precarious rubble. Even a small jolt might send fragments sliding down the sinkhole’s slope. The footlocker was wedged beneath a cracked beam, and the faded shield lay among collapsed shelving.

Footlocker
- Partially pinned by debris. Moving it from a distance (e.g., telekinesis or magical vines) could free it, but risk jostling the beam.
- A metallic clinking hinted at coins or similar valuables inside.
Shield
- Marked by old runes, at least partly defunct. Likely more of a historical piece unless restored—still, it might fetch a small price to a collector or hold sentimental value to locals who remember the guard crest.

Safe Extraction or Risky Grab?

If Demeter or others attempt to pull the items from afar:

Stability Check: The watchtower’s broken architecture could creak ominously; chunks of plaster might fall. If Aqua and Aureus coordinate to brace crucial supports (ice buttresses, magical flares for better visibility, or even conjured metal from Adelhein), they could mitigate collapse.
Time Factor: The longer they spend rummaging, the higher the chance that noise or movement alerts the lurking insectoid below—or something else in the depths.

The Compass Reading

Meanwhile, Adelhein produced the compass the party had purchased. He held it level, expecting to discern which way was north relative to their entry point. Under normal circumstances, the needle should have pointed reliably. Yet here in the sinkhole, the device twitched erratically, its needle wobbling between north and northwest. Whether due to natural magnetic interference—possibly from the magical crystals in the surrounding rock—or some deeper disturbance was unclear.

A faint squeaking of metal accompanied each spin, suggesting the compass was struggling to stabilize in these conditions.
Gilgamesh glanced at the jittering needle with a mild smirk, as if unsurprised that lesser trinkets faltered where magic reigned supreme.

Justin-sama’s Impatience

Justin-sama

“Must we dally?” Justin demanded, voice echoing slightly. He gestured dismissively at the tower’s base.

“If you can magically yank those things free without burying us, by all means. Otherwise, we might be better served pressing onward. That big bug you mentioned won’t kill itself.”

Despite his condescending tone, he didn’t entirely reject the possibility of treasure. His posture betrayed a certain eagerness—perhaps he was just reluctant to see the tower collapse before they seized anything valuable.

The Next Step

With knowledge of the watchtower’s precarious state and the hoard in its basement, the party faced a choice:

Retrieve the Loot: Coordinated magic or cunning might salvage the footlocker and shield without setting off a chain reaction.
Reinforce First: Aqua’s ice, Adelhein’s metal, or Aureus’s flares (for better positioning) could shore up the structure, though it would take time and might still be risky.
Move On: They could skip the watchtower’s spoils altogether, focusing on the deeper mystery—and danger—lurking below.

How they proceed could shape their fortunes, and perhaps the stability of this crumbling ruin in the sinkhole’s depths.

Torches
Rope
Shovel
Compass

Gwen_Temi · Jan 29, 2025

Demeter

"Nah, my eyes aren't quite that good. I could try to appraise it for weaknesses, but I wouldn't be able to hide the fact that I'm doing it. And I'm not really in a rush to let the bugs know that we're down here watching them," she replied to Scarlett.

It was also the reason why she wasn't interested in attacking the creature from here. Fighting bugs was less an objective in their quest and more the most direct way to overcome an obstacle that they might've encountered down there in the caves. And the young fae was well aware that she wasn't going to be able to discreetly acquire that kind of information with her current abilities.

Then, she turned to Adelhein.

"Yeah. After the exam, caves stopped seeming like too much of an issue for me. I'm more concerned with what we might run into down here. And, on that note," she turned back to the tower, "I think we should go after every treasure, relic, and potential clue we can find out here while nothing's trying to kill us. Don't know how long that's gonna last. But waiting until we've already stirred the hive to start taking risks doesn't make any sense to me. And I'm definitely not gonna waste any time looting if a fight breaks out."

She held her arms forward; parallel to the ground with her palms facing upwards. Then, she focused her sights back onto the shield and the glimmering contents of the locker. Aqua and Aureus suggested working together to reinforce the tower alongside Adelhein and keep it from toppling. Demeter nodded approvingly; leaving that part to them.

"So let's get us some treasure."

She would cast [Wilt and Bloom: Pilfer] to warp the shield and the shiny trinkets right out of their resting spots and straight into her hands. She would go for the shield first; summoning it into her hands 'face-down' to act as a sort of impromptu tray upon which she could carry the shiny trinkets that would follow. And, just after she cast her spell, she'd survey the area to see if and how the tower- or any part of the caver- would respond to the sudden spacial displacement.

Regardless of whether or not the team was successful in acquiring their first spoils, Demeter would be ready to descend with the party afterwards.

HP: 6/6
Heavy Armor: 1/1
Passives:
1). Resilient F (Surprised)

Actions (2/3):
1&2) Cast [Wilt and Bloom: Pilfer] to warp the rune-engraved shield and shiny trinkets into her hands; selectively targeting only the shield and shiny trinkets and leaving everything else in the area undisturbed by her magic, including the locker containing the trinkets, itself. Both the shield and the shiny trinkets were targeted individually by the spell and the spell originates at their locations. She then takes another reactionary scan of the area to try and identify any new dangers that might've arisen as a result of her spell.

Wilt and Bloom: Pilfer- Super Sense [X-Ray Vision] E(1), Perception E, Feature [Darkvision], Teleport E(1), Magic E, Magic School E, Indirect E, Metamagic [Magic Range] E, Magic AOE F, Selective F, Magic Targets F, Energized E- Demeter warps one or more objects into her possession from a distance of 100ft. She can snatch objects through walls and physical barriers that would overwise impede their movement so long as she can see them.- 2 actions-100ft range- 100ft sensory radius- 100ft movement/snatching distance- 15ft AOE- 5 Targets Max- 1 post duration- Grade E- 0 post cooldown.

Rev IX · Jan 31, 2025

Aureus Albion

Aureus slowly nodded in agreement to Demeter's assessment of the situation. It would certainly be harder to loot the place with whatever hiding down there chasing them. So without making much objection, the elf approached the structure. Putting his hands on whatever he had in reach, with extreme gentleness. Guided by the details of the weak points visible to him. And as he exhaled, his mana started to flow onto the structure before him. Mending and reinforcing whatever structural integrity his magic would allow.

After making his contribution to looting the decrepit building, he also steeled himself to continue the descent. With one hand on the pocket where the improvised flares rested.

Somehow, he started to second guess Justin's worth. The more they spent down here, the more the chance of him to drop the bravado. And yet, he managed to appear as eager to venture down as he could be. Then again, Aureus' conception of cowards made him also consider the fact that Justin still had nothing to claim as his, so maybe he was holding up until then. Furthermore, he had plenty of meat - or plant - shields he could hide behind of.

The elf's eye remained sharp, it was still too early to drop suspicion.

Spoiled Bread · Feb 1, 2025

Aqua

"T-there's the nest for the giant bug monster on the south east, on the border between Ryke and East Empire, b-but this is my first time knowing their presence inside Ryke territory." Aqua replied to Adelhein's question, though as she said it herself she found herself getting more worried by the implication should it be true. The bugs tunneling their way into Ryke would be disastrous.

Regardless of what she's worrying or what she think they should prioritize, Aqua still more than happy to lend her ability to the task at hand: taking some loot. Demeter would take the items with her teleportation magic while she and Aureus do the enforcing. Her job would be to make sure the structure wouldn't crumble once the items were taken so she would need something strong but gentle.

Tapping her staff onto the ground below, the crystal at the tip glows bright blue as a big blob of water started to float in front of her. The water blob would then slowly move forward towards the structure, filling the cracks with water and tenderly enveloped it with a thick layer of liquid. Once she was satisfied with the positioning of the water, Aqua finished the spell and freezed the water, hopefully enforcing the structure enough not to cause any collapse on it.

Action:
1) Frost Embrace - Magic E, Magic Range F, Magic AoE F, Selective Magic F, Water Affinity F, Ice Affinity F, Indirect F, Non-lethal F - Lock a target within 30 ft away with thick layers of ice - Grade E - 1 Post Cooldown

TheTimePiece · Feb 1, 2025

Scarlett Ashford

Maxxob

Spoiled Bread

Gwen_Temi

Scarlett gave a smile and nod Adelhein's way, "Understood, it's good to be resourceful too." It was kind of cute seeing him get a bit flustered, not to mention his face reddening a bit. He was normally rather serious and very composed so this side was a bit entertaining to Scarlett.

She also looked to Demeter,

"Gotcha, I guess it wouldn't be the best idea to alert the bug then...it's still a cool ability anyway! But like Adelhein was asking about..I don't think it's so normal for Ryke of all places to have big bugs like that, I mean sure sometimes monsters just show up but given what's happened here.. could it be possible the magic caused one to become large and powerful? Or maybe it's one that got here from that Hive place I heard about that Aqua just mentioned, even if that's kind of far away..the whole thing just sounds strange...and it wouldn't surprise me if it's presence was more deliberate than it simply wandering here."

She heard Justin-Sama complain and she almost rolled her eyes, but she supposed that wasn't the most unreasonable comment, but it's not like they were on some kind of deadline where people would die if they did't get to where they were going fast enough as far as they knew. Scarlett was more inclined to trust Demeter's judgement that pulling whatever out that was there could be worth while even if it set them back like five minutes.

Then there was the matter of the looting, seeing what the others could do, unfortunately her current skill set didn't feel like it was the most usable one for this task as far as teaming up went to retrieve stuff went or for supporting the structure. It wasn't like her fire magic was going to get hot enough to melt the structure together at the moment, or she was strong enough to hold part of it in place at the moment, so for now she'd wait and watch their surroundings carefully, to assist in some way beyond just looking if it was deemed necessary.

Maxxob · Feb 1, 2025

Adelhein El-Melloi von Breyer // Artoria // Gilgamesh

Titles:
Adelhein: [Isekai], [Human], [Adept Magus], [Arcane Seeker] Color - #e60e0e
Saber Alter: [Isekai], [Construct], [Adept Swordsman] Color - #470c85
Gilgamesh: [Isekai], [Construct], [Adept Mage] Color - #d3fa5c

Corruption

0%

Saber Alter's Influence

15%

Gilgamesh's Influence

5%

Spoiled Bread @Crescent King @Bartre

“Good thinking, it is best that we keep our presence hidden, for the moment. We might even end up being able to surprise that bug, if it is necessary we go after it. Otherwise, we can simply ignore it.” Adelhein said about Demeter possibly appraising the critter. “We still don’t know how much time we have available before this hole caves in even further… if that happens. Still, conducting this investigation poorly is not something that will make us look good.” A careful balance had to be struck.

Aqua’s words made Adelhein raise one eyebrow and his expression grew a tad more grave at something that Scarlett added to it. “Deliberate? Like something brought those bugs, and that one under us, here on purpose?” Still gripping the compass with his gloved hand, he became more pensive with each passing second. “Magecraft involving bugs…” His face twisted slightly, showing clear and utmost disgust. “... I once heard whispers, back in my homeland, about one magi family who were not as prestigious as they once were. They made extensive use of bugs.” Just thinking about all the things he had heard surrounding the Matou family made his stomach turn.

His crimson eyes would turn towards Gilgamesh and Artoria. “Both of you were familiar with the Matou, as adversaries, during the 4th Grail War. Have you detected any similarity in the mana here?”

Gilgamesh’s expression barely shifted, though a glimmer of distaste flickered in her crimson eyes at the mention of the Matou.

“Hoh? To think you'd invoke those worms in my presence, Adelhein.” Her tone was laced with amusement, though her smirk was sharp. “While the very concept of magecraft involving insects is as repugnant as those wretched mongrels, I find no immediate proof that their sordid ilk has stained this world as well.”

Her gaze swept across their surroundings, contemplative yet unconcerned. “But as always, where there is filth, there is a source. Whether or not this possible infestation bears resemblance to those wretched creatures from the war is yet to be seen.”

She scoffed lightly, before glancing at Artoria. “What say you, Wyrm? Do these pests remind you of the corrupted husk that groveled before you?"

Artoria’s expression remained impassive, but a subtle furrow of her brow betrayed her distaste. “The presence of these creatures is undeniable, but I will not draw premature conclusions.” Her voice was steady, yet edged with quiet disdain. “However, if there is a magus behind them, then their intentions are suspect at best. I sense no immediate malice akin to what we faced during the war, but that does not mean we are free from danger.”

She exhaled sharply. “If they bear even a fragment of the Matou’s wretched methods, then their existence is an offense that should be erased.” A dangerous glint passed through her golden eyes. “Tread carefully, Master. Those who rely on such grotesque magecraft are often cowards, hiding behind their swarms. But that does not make them any less dangerous.”

Contemplating his Servants’ inputs, Adelhein nodded. “If whoever is behind this is still alive, on purpose or not, they will be eliminated without a second thought.”

The young magus’ attention next would drift towards the compass, seeing how impossible it was to get the directions from it. “This compass will be useless to guide us back to the entrance. We will have to rely solely on memory.” He said, mostly aimed at Demeter, because both of their teleporting capabilities.

And, seeing both Aureus’ and Aqua’s efforts to reinforce the watchtower, he would finally speak directly to Justin for the first time. “Willing to test the integrity of the structure and the path ahead with your boots again? Seems like we will have to walk through it.” He asked with a bit of a smirk on his lips.

Maxxob · Feb 1, 2025

Maxxob | Adelhein

TheTimePiece | Scarlett

Gwen_Temi | Demeter

Rev IX | Aureus

Spoiled Bread | Aqua
@Bartre | Yuki

The conversation at the watchtower base moved swiftly from theoretical dangers—giant bug infestations, possible magus involvement—to a more immediate task: safely retrieving what Demeter’s x-ray vision had discovered. The rope line linking the party remained taut, and the faint glow of torches illuminated the half-toppled tower and the chasm beyond.

Reinforcing the Tower

Aureus’s Touch
With great care, Aureus placed his hands upon a cracked portion of the tower’s foundation. A muted glow emanated from his fingertips, mending and fortifying key structural points. Broken stone fused slightly, while crumbling mortar gained some integrity. A shower of dust dribbled down as the elf’s spell took hold—a promising sign that, at the very least, the floor wouldn’t collapse outright.
Aqua’s Frost
Meanwhile, Aqua channeled her water affinity. A thick stream of liquid flowed into the cracks and around the basement timbers, then froze over in a solid layer of ice reinforcement. From the outside, faint shards of pale blue crystals formed around the edges of the tower’s base, merging with Aureus’s repairs. The old masonry groaned but did not shift further—so far, so good.
Rubble Check
A few pebbles and small fragments toppled from above, but no major collapses. Whatever Aureus and Aqua had done, it looked to be stabilizing the worst of the structural weak points—for now.

Demeter’s Wilt & Bloom: Pilfer

With a deep breath, Demeter raised her hands and invoked her spell. Twisting vines, or perhaps ephemeral roots of magic, silently coiled around the shield and the treasure within the footlocker. In two pulses of faint greenish light, each item vanished from its precarious resting place and reappeared in Demeter’s outstretched arms—the shield first, face-down to act like a makeshift tray, then the scattered coins and trinkets from inside the locker.

Shield: An old piece of Greystone guard equipment. Half the runes were chipped away, leaving no active enchantment. Nonetheless, it might hold some value to a collector or local historian.
Coins: A small stash of silver and copper, possibly a soldier’s savings, rattled on top of the shield—nothing major, but enough to catch Justin-sama’s eye.
Minor Trinkets: Among the coins, a few personal effects—an amulet of cheap metal, some buttons, and a short bronze dagger with a worn blade. One or two items seemed purely sentimental, not magical.

Almost as soon as Demeter completed the teleportation, the tower gave a sharp groan. Everyone tensed—but thanks to Aureus and Aqua’s fortifications, the structure merely settled a few inches further into the rubble. Dust rained down, but there was no violent collapse. The retrieval seemed to be a success.

Justin-sama’s Eager Glance

Justin-sama

As Demeter’s spell finished pulling the footlocker’s contents onto her makeshift “shield tray,” Justin-sama wasted little time. He stepped forward and peered at the coins, trinkets, and small bronze dagger clattering atop the battered guard shield.

“Hmph. Hardly a king’s ransom, but silver is silver. And I believe we had an arrangement regarding precious metals.”

Without waiting for formal agreement, Justin leaned in and swept the coins and any other obviously valuable bits into a small pouch at his waist. The sheer speed of his claim left no room for polite protest, though Demeter’s prior bargain did give him nominal rights to these “purely monetary” spoils.

“You may keep that old guard trash,” he added, flicking a dismissive gesture at the once-enchanted shield. “Doubt it’s worth the weight in iron shavings. Now, shall we proceed?”

He angled his head toward Adelhein’s question about testing the structure ahead. Catching the smirk, Justin’s brow twitched.

“Hah! So quick to rely on me, are we? Very well. I’ll prove my gear’s worth. You can watch and learn—if you keep up.”

He turned on his heel, stepping onto the newly iced-and-fused path leading around the tower’s perimeter.

Checking the Path Ahead

Justin advanced a few yards, each of his steps producing a faint shimmer of blue wards around his boots. It appeared he had some form of impact-dampening or weight-distribution enchantment. Where his feet landed, the rubble barely shifted, and the ice did not crack. After a moment, he called back, voice tinged with arrogance:

“This portion is stable enough—thanks to my equipment.” He glanced sidelong at Aqua’s ice and Aureus’s newly-reinforced bricks, but said nothing of their obvious contribution.

From his vantage, he peered downward. The swirling gloom below remained inscrutable, though the faint glimmer of crystals and the occasional scuttle of unseen creatures echoed upward. He waved a hand in mild impatience.

“Well? Are we done here?”

Next Steps

The tower search concluded successfully, yielding minor loot and a battered shield. The basement remains more or less intact, but further rummaging seems unnecessary unless the party wants to dig through rotting crates and ancient linens. The path ahead extends deeper along the watchtower’s side, curving into the sinkhole’s next level:

Loose rock continues to threaten from above.
The faint hum of insectoid life—or something else—lurks somewhere below.
The party stands on a stable enough route, roped together and guided by torches and occasional enchantments.

What will they do now? Press onward to confront or bypass the lurking foe? Explore side corridors for more clues? The unraveling mystery of Greystone waits in the shadows—an uneasy hush draping every move they make.

Torches
Rope
Shovel
Compass

Gwen_Temi · Feb 2, 2025

Demeter

An eerie groan echoed throughout the cavern.

The tower shifted suddenly, albeit slightly, freeing a bit of dust into the air. Perhaps Demeter would've sent the whole thing hurtling into the pit and set off a catastrophic chain of events without the assistance of Aureus and Aqua. Perhaps they would've been perfectly fine. Either way, Demeter stood there, giggling to herself with a wide grin.

Cuz she had the party's first find right there in her hands. Now, there was this whole scene in her mind where she proudly presented the shiny treasure to the others; giving Justin-sama his coins and the scholars their relic. A real happy moment for everyone there.

"HEY, MAN!"

But that vision fell apart as soon as Justin got ALL up in her space and took all the coin before she could even say a word. With the empty shield-plate clutched tightly in her right hand, Demeter threw her arms up in protest; glaring at Justin-sama. She wasn't mad that he took the coin. She could've cared less about that. But taking her satisfaction?

That's a different story.

"Don't just snatch stuff outta my hands! I'm the one who told you there was treasure in that tower in the first place! Why would I say that if I wasn't going to give it to you. That doesn't... that doesn't make any..."

She groaned; a precious moment swiped away before she had a chance to enjoy it. With a light sigh, she went over to her more pleasant teammates and presented them with the rune-covered shield. The young fae had absolutely no idea what purpose those runes might've once filled, but it's not like she was collecting magical artifact for herself.

She turned to Adelhein and Scarlett, specifically.

"See? It's covered in runes. Don't think it's still holding any magic, but these were definitely carved by a mage" she handed it to them, an obviously-forced smile on her face to try to liven up the mood after that little fiasco, "Maybe you guys can study it and learn something cool from it when we get back to the mansion."

It would also become immediately clear just why Demeter had suddenly taken up an interest in collecting treasure. As she passed the rune-engraved shield to those who would, no doubt, find more use for it, she overheard Adelhein's words and noticed the compass going haywire. And, when the thought of getting lost or disoriented in the caves crossed Demeter's mind.

"Oh..."

She simply turned to Aureus and Aqua and signaled for them to look her way; the two best suited for dealing with a problem like that.

"Compass is going crazy, so we're not going to be able to rely on it. I'd rather not have the rest of us giving the caverns another reason to cave in, either. You two think you can use your transmutation powers to like... carve symbols into the walls without causing a landslide?" she thought back to a tactic that one of the regulars at the guild told her about, "Gotta make em' uneven. Or uh... 'asymetrical'. Like an arrow pointing us back the way we came. You wanna make it so that, as soon as you look at it, you know not just that you've been there before, but exactly which direction to go to get back to where you came from. Won't need a compass if you guys can do that."

She glanced over at Scarlett and Adelhein, then over to Justin-asshole-sama, then back to the ice and fire duo.

"I think it'd be a lot safer to have you guys doing that with your special kinda magic than it would be to have the rest of us chippin' away at the walls down here. Anyways..."

She would leave that up to them. If they were were able to regularly leave markers for the team, it might just end up saving their lives later on during the quest.

"...let's get moving. I'll scout ahead."

She would use [Clairvoyance], once again, to scout the path ahead for potential dangers. If the party was ready to advance, then she'd begin moving alongside them deeper into the caverns.

Actions (3/3):
1) Hand the rune-engraved shield over to Scarlett and/or Adelhein.
2) Use [Clairvoyance] to scout the path ahead for dangers and warn the party of anything they might encounter up ahead or around the corner.
3) Move deeper into the caverns alongside her team if they were ready to advance.

Clairvoyance- Super Sense [X-Ray Vision] E (1), Perception E, Feature [Darkvision], Energized E - Demeter utilizes her sixth sense to peer straight through walls and analyze her surroundings. Great for finding secret passages and enemies hidden behind cover- 1 actions- 100ft radius- Grade E- 0 post cooldown.

Spoiled Bread · Feb 4, 2025

Aqua

Aqua let out a relieved sigh as the items retrieval proceed without any hiccup, its better for them to get away from the watch tower as soon as possible though, no one know how long the fortification would last. As the group continued their march, Demeter gave what Aqua thought was a clever idea. Carving stuff with transmutation was easy, she used it all the time for crafting and cooking at home but never thought about using it for adventuring.

"T-that's genius idea, Demeter! Very doable." Chanting a short spell, the bottom tip of Aqua's staff glows dimly. She then used it like an oversized pencil and started writing on the ground. Every time the tip touched the soil it would transmute them into air, and even if she cancel the spell, the substance would have already too dispersed to return to their original spot, thus leaving a trace of carved trail on the surface.

MAGNO SAPIENT VICTORI WAS HERE

She carved on the ground. A bit silly but she wanted to make sure to leave a proof of their journey here. She would then write 'exit' and an arrow that pointed to where they came from. Satisfied with what she writes, Aqua handed Aureus her spare wand and encouraged him to do the same.

"H-here, try it. It's fun, and two marks is better than one."

She would then resumed the journey while letting the tip of her staff drags on the ground, leaving one long carved line on the ground. This way as long as they didn't go off the track or lose their light they would be able to easily trace their way back.

Action:
1) Use Magic F, Transmutation F, Magic School: Alchemical Seminary F (Metamagic: Duration F), Focus F, Energized F to leave a carved trails along the way
2) Handed Aureus Catalyst D (Salt Stick Wand) so he can use it as magic pencil

Rev IX · Feb 4, 2025

Aureus Albion

Aureus shook his head, as Justin became more annoying by the word. But again, he was no leader. He agreed to let Demeter make the call. And as irritated as she was by him, she did not quite explode, so Aureus simply kept a wary eye on the adventurer.

The elf then stepped forward at Demeter's word. Nodding once the instruction was given. "Should be simple enough, yeah." He echoed Aqua's take on it.

A soft smile crept on Aureus' face when he read Aqua's message and she offered him to try. "No need, Aqua. I have my writing utensil here." He said as he gestured to his gloves.

Seeing as Aqua worked on the ground, Aureus hovered his hand across the rocky walls near him. Making an exit sign, with an arrow below it done as per Demeter's instruction. Though not in the same way as the fellow transmutation user. His traces resembled shiny paint in their appearance, applied without as little as a touch needed. Considering the hole they were in, carving a wall might have not been the best idea. "Will these do, Demeter?" the elf asked in wait for approval or the need for an adjustment. Then he would await for the group to continue their path down.

TheTimePiece · Feb 4, 2025

Scarlett Ashford

Maxxob

Spoiled Bread

"Right..surprises can be pretty effective actually.." Scarlett thought aloud at how even some of the most powerful enemies when caught off guard could be up for a fatal attack.

"So there's bug magic from where you're from.." She'd also add at Adelhein revealing that. Unfortunately it was a possibility that was possible here too in this realm, it wasn't like summoning magic was an uncommon path one could take in magical academia, there were plenty who did, but it was those who stood above the rest who stood out in any magical discipline, many may try but only the best would be remembered, that's what Scarlett tended to think, anyway.

By the time Demeter was exclaiming 'hey man' at Justin-sama Scarlett was fairly annoyed, clenching her fist, holding back the desire to slug him again, a less than pleased look falling upon her face, looking over to their 'help' as he just yanked what he thought was his from her once Demeter had retrieved it.

She did however lighten up some when Demeter presented the shield,

"Hey wait a minute did you just say Runes?! You mean like the rune craft that the Dwarves are known for?" She'd inquire sounding somewhat excited at this discovery, wondering if that could be the case, if it was a dwarven shield that could prove to be more valuable than they had thought, unfortunately Scarlett didn't know. ton about rune craft other than that the dwarves apparently had some very skilled practitioners in their midsts.

before giving Demeter a thumbs up and a wink,

"Nice job Demeter, I think those are exactly the types of artifacts we want to be recovering and collecting." There might be something valuable to learn from the shield, or maybe they'd find out it could be valuable to use in their adventures moving forward, assuming that it wasn't some sort of item which was irreparable.

She'd smile a bit after hearing Adelhein ask Justin-sama if he was willing to test the way forward, but surprisingly enough he was, having no qualms, it was possible his gear was strong enough that he'd be fine even if he did take a fall given what his attitude was like.

At seeing the plan with Aureus and Aqua come into effect, she'd nod. "You two are doing great also, it's great to have so many capable teammates."

"Another good idea Demeter, with that compass acting up it's a good bet."

At that point She was pretty well ready to move on, still maintaining position, looking forward ready to move on with all of that seemingly settled.

Maxxob · Feb 5, 2025

Adelhein El-Melloi von Breyer // Artoria // Gilgamesh

Titles:
Adelhein: [Isekai], [Human], [Adept Magus], [Arcane Seeker] Color - #e60e0e
Saber Alter: [Isekai], [Construct], [Adept Swordsman] Color - #470c85
Gilgamesh: [Isekai], [Construct], [Adept Mage] Color - #d3fa5c

Corruption

0%

Saber Alter's Influence

15%

Gilgamesh's Influence

5%