Fantasy ┌ spellsword ┘ Amaric Temple

[Sir Les Paul]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple (7th floor), Room of Surprise
DATE—07/02 | Early Summer
TIME—1137

Lucas made on of two correct judgement calls in quick succession. He was right that something was coming. He was entirely wrong that Roika would just up and inform them that the mushrooms were poisonous without being prompted. This wasn't necessarily her fault, either. As a gift from her Fae Patron, Roika was effectively immune to the toxins of the Waltzing Agaric - as well as most other fungi, for that matter. If she ate one, it might taste bland or bitter, but it wouldn't hurt her. If Lucas were to eat one, he would be vomiting within minutes, and if he somehow managed to not vomit, he would be deathly ill soon after, likely having convulsions and foaming at the mouth.

As an alchemist, at the least, Lucas was not so dim to not know the dangers of such a common fungi in the Dungeon. It had many uses even in its toxic form and if not cultivated now, it would never be as it would likely be destroyed once the room was reset. Even if these mushrooms wouldn't be a culinary delight, they could otherwise be distilled down for their toxin, which itself was a common entry-level poison for Delvers. Had he his lab at home, there were actually ways to heavily dilute the toxin to the point it made a painkiller. Good for fevers, but not infection or serious illness. More so, it was the type of painkiller one might take for a broken bone or a severe burn. Even diluted, it was quite the intense neurotoxin.

A small concern that might have given them some type of insight had Malik waited to fire his bow was something else that Roika would find. Mushrooms were decomposers, but just like all organisms, they had a preferred diet, ecosystem, and requirements to grow. The Waltzing Agaric required plants with high mana. The black-capped mushroom she saw in the shaded area between the pillars was something different entirely. At best, three inches tall with most being even smaller, these little guys had bright white stalks and a short life. They thrived in high moisture, which made sense given the nearby pool, but they needed something specific... corpses. They didn't grow much in substrate or dirty, but generally directly on something dead or at least near biomaterial from the dead.

Here, that is exactly what they did. Further inspection showed that there were piles of what looked like some type of hard, chitinous material and the bodies, bones, and slime from countless fish. If one stepped close enough nearby, they might even smell the decomposition. However, Rooms of Surprise were but temporary things, they rarely had the time to truly begin to emit such foul odors. The stage of decomposition was irrelevant, what it did was indicate death. Generally speaking, that would be something to share with a party.

Alas, Roika would not get to share that information in a reasonable timeframe. Lucas' other judgement call, the correct one, proved true.

Erupting from the pond into a clouded frenzy were what must have been a hundred or more flying razorfish. Not an uncommon sight in the lower floors of the Dungeon, though not normally in this concentration. The little bastards were similar to flying piranhas, except their bite wasn't their most dangerous trait. It was their razor wings. While metal could easily deflect it, most hide, leather, and cloth would eventually be cut through or at least worn down. Death by a thousand cuts in the most literal of the sense. The challenge here wasn't the difficulty of the individual creature, but the sheer volume of them. Hitting such small, fast creatures while also trying to dodge was no easy task, even if they were easy to kill.

And, it wasn't as if they entirely helpless on land. If they missed their target and skid across the ground, they could perform this admittedly creepy walk on their fins to return to the pool. Of course, this left them quite vulnerable, but it didn't mean they were literally killing themselves.

One hundred? Two hundred? Three? It wasn't clear given how they were moving, but it was pretty apart that trying to kill them one by one with a bow wouldn't work. Lucas would find that despite his former training as a Monk, he wasn't quite strong enough to move Ake with a shove so easily. The two were still the closest to the pool with so many fish swarming that the island in the center was entirely obscured. And, now, fish were launching themselves at the duo like torpedoes, their goal to cut or gnaw on either one of them.

Spoiler: Map

Note: Map is has a 40x40 grid that is a 1:1 scale to feet. Room ix 40x40 feet.

Daddy Dream Megilagor The Regal Rper Shotgunpenguin

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[November Witch]

Lumina Wynntress

~{An Unexpected Situation}~​

Status: Surprised
Location: Amaric Temple - 1st Floor - Trading Post
Mention(s): Sir Les Paul Merciless Medic EmperorsChosen SCP-0029

Seeing how quickly things fell apart, Lumina couldn’t help but sigh. There she went again, being too eccentric. Exactly what she assured herself she wouldn’t do before. It could be difficult sometimes, to remember not everyone thought like she did. Things she thought were just common sense could be far from it. For example, Cole taking her statement of ‘Question everything.’ In the most literal sense. Or them thinking she was saying armor was useless. Some people just didn’t know how to use their heads. Cole seemed pissed with her, going off and cursing her out. Well, it would be her responsibility to bring them up to a level where they had more sense than this. It was her duty as a guide to knock some sense into them. Hence why she didn’t stoop to Cole’s level. Arguments would get them nowhere. Instead, she let him say his piece, and said little in turn. Only a few words left her lips.

“You’ll understand soon, I hope.” The points he made were all good ones in the absence of context and situation. Anything could be misconstrued in a vacuum. It wasn’t really his fault. It was Lumina’s fault for assuming those around her would understand her words. These were not experienced dungeoneers, scholars, or students who would understand her words. She’d have to be specific or explain her reasonings for things. She would just have to stop herself from forgetting that going forward. Lumina stood there, ruminating over her next course of action, and scanning the crowd for Neha and those who had just scattered to look around the marketplace. Though it wasn’t long before she was approached by someone.

However, this someone was staff from the guild. Not a guide like Neha or another dungeoneer, no. It was an intendant to deliver news. Lumina would be the full guide for this delve, and they would receive a new party member. It seemed things would go swimmingly. Not only had she gotten off on the wrong foot with her party, but now she would be the sole leader. She could only hope it wouldn’t lead to more strife. But a voice interrupted that thought and Minerva as she was giving information of the new member to Lumina. It was Cole once again. It seemed he might’ve even been more socially oblivious than Lumina. Even she knew not to interrupt a conversation.

The witch turned to face Cole with crossed arms, and listened to his apology. Her face was a mix of annoyance, surprise, and relief. It seemed things could be cleaned up quite nicely if everyone in the group could be this forward in their communication. However, he did interrupt something important. “I appreciate your apology, but you should work on your timing. I’m receiving important information at the moment. Once this is finished, I’ll let you know if I accept your apology.” Lumina turned back to Minerva with a sigh. “Please, continue. You said she’s a Snow Elf?” Lumina felt as if letting Cole stew in his anxieties for another minute or two would be a fit enough punishment for interrupting. However long winded it may have been, she was going to accept it. After all, some of the blame fell to her, and the group would need to learn together, and quickly, especially if there would be no experienced guides on this delve, or future ones, for that matter.

 

[Sir Les Paul]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple (1st floor), Trading Post
DATE—07/02 | Early Summer
TIME—1010

QUICK RESPONSE: An Awkward Introduction​

"I did, yes. She is quite the marvel; many go their whole lives without seeing a Snow Elf," Minerva responded. She was awkward in her own way, admittedly. Speaking about Vaelithra as if she wasn't there, yet her soft, pleasant voice and direct praise acting in stark contrast to the affront. Truth be told, there was a lot about the Snow Elf that intrigued Minerva. Her magical potential was so great that she had yet to see if she was rooted in one field of magic, like a sorcerer, or if she could easily learn others, akin to a Wizard. What little they knew is that she was definitely no Bard.

Then again, most of Lumina's Party was fairly interesting, in their own way. Whatever contract was bound to Cole gave him a fairly rare level of control over Shadow Magic. To any mage educated in Infernal topics, this meant he likely had a Fiend of Abyssal origin. This would put him at distinct odds with most devout followers of Espel, truly only making him one small step away from a user of Vel Magic in their eyes. Meanwhile, Leander had poured his heart and soul into mastering a Spell he truly had no right to know in his youth and at his level. If he could do that, he had plenty potential to do more in time. Cecelia had an entirely different type of magic; one that required reagents and much less magical skill to use, but often more creativity and dexterity.

In a way, Vaelithra would fit right in. In another way, it was probably impossible to actually fit her in anywhere.

Now, Minerva had been an Intendent for longer than Lumina had been a Dungeoneer. She knew some things. She was sure, in truth, that Lumina knew she knew some things. Such as, the first time the would-be scholar encountered a foe with corrosive properties. Those dainty clothes didn't last long.

It always came back to her clothes.

"She'll accept your apology," Minerva injected. It was a response directly to Cole as much as it was a quick reminder of the humble beginnings all Dungeoneers had. "There are far worse things that could happen in this Dungeon."

Though, she wasn't just soft hands. She did not, as they say, spare the rod. "But, a piece of advice. When your thoughts are so disorganized that you cannot stitch together a complete sentence, it means one of only a few things. The first is nerves, which is not a good sign for someone you're about to fight with. The second, perhaps worse, is that you did not spend enough time in thought or contemplation of your apology. Had you taken the time to refine your ideas, you may have been able to voice them in a more... graceful manner," she told him, her tone changing quick. A faster cadence with an undertone of either authority or condescension, pending interpretation. She had a way of speaking that didn't allow one in a word edgewise. A necessity of the job, unfortunately.

"Speaking of grace," she said, shifting back to her more pleasant persona and turning back to Vaelithra to offer her a raised eyebrow and formal acknowledgement. "Why don't you introduce yourself as you see fit, Vaelithra?" she suggested, "I see no reason I need to if it will spare Lumina the same explanation to the rest of your party."

Merciless Medic EmperorsChosen November Witch SCP-0029

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[Megilagor]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple — (7th floor - Room of Surprise)
DATE—Early Summer
TIME—11:27

Ake Sigurd​

LvL 1 | Totemic Warrior

Spell Slots
Lvl. 1 2/2

TAGS Daddy Dream , Shotgunpenguin , The Regal Rper , Sir Les Paul

When Lucas barked his order and attempted to push him away instinctively Ake tensed up trying to resist the push but realising he should have to follow his order he relaxed and went with the flow so to say and kicked himself a bit back as to make some distance between whatever Lucas was pushing him away from.

"Hitting them one by one will be a pain." Ake said as he gathered air inside his lungs, switching his large axe by placing it on his back to his two smaller one-handed axes. HE then tensed both of his arms and performed his ancestral shout towards the flying razorfish which was shortly followed by both of his axes being thrown in the fish's direction and whatever they hit or not before they escaped his area of influence for runes of returning effects to happen he would call them back.

 

[SCP-0029]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple
DATE—07/04 | Early Summer
TIME—1011

Vaelithra Velaryth​

Level o1 | Frontline Class
Status Overwhelmed

Spell Slots
Lvl. 1 1/2
Pact 1/1

TAGS November Witch Merciless Medic EmperorsChosen Sir Les Paul

It was strange—though Vaelithra was the subject of conversation, the words seemed to float just beyond her reach, as if she weren’t standing right there. Her senses, overwhelmed by the bustling trading post around her, dulled the voices into a distant hum. Even so, her ears twitched instinctively to the myriads of conversations, their scattered tones blending into an unintelligible chorus. She had traveled far to reach Amaric Temple, and though her journey had been fraught with difficulties, it was the sea of strangers here that made her feel the most out of place. A jumble of nerves coiled in her chest, tightening with each passing moment, for it wasn’t the physical distance she had traveled that unsettled her—it was the emotional one that lay between her and these strangers.

Vaelithra's hazel eyes, primarily silver in hue, flicked between Minerva, Lumina, and the rest of the group. The hazel tones within them were speckled with subtle hints of turquoise, lilac, and amber, giving her unique gaze a shifting quality—like the northern lights reflected in frozen waters, both vibrant and eerily serene. With her posture slightly stiff, betraying her internal conflict, the praise, though well-meant, felt heavy on her shoulders; it was a reminder of expectations she felt she often struggled to meet. Now she was meant to introduce herself to the party of four, and though she had gone over many times what this scenario would be like, this awkward situation between the demi-wolf and startingly tall human woman was something she was ill-prepared for, and briefly did she worry about what her experience may be like with these strangers she was to get familiar with.

At just five feet and six inches, her leather boots added little to her height, leaving her feeling smaller beside the towering figures of her companions. Taking a slow breath, steadying herself before she spoke, Vaelithra's voice was quiet but clear, laced with a subtle undertone of resolve, and an unfamiliar accent. “I am Vaelithra Velaryth,” she began, her gaze steady but soft, “a Snow Elf from the far reaches of the Arctic.” She paused, her fingers lightly brushing the edges of her burgundy cloak, as if grounding herself. “My magic .. is not like most. It has been both a challenge and a teacher, one I am still learning to master.”

Not long ago, she likely would have chastised herself for her candor, but today she was overcome with the realization of how strange a sight it was to see a Snow Elf so, so far from home. On her way here there had been nothing but lingering gazes, and she was blaming it on how her once thick cloak was exchanged for something thinner for this warmer weather. Per the societal norm, her presence was a curiosity to many—a Snow Elf, so far from the icy north. She still wasn’t used to the pallor of her skin in this southern light, nor to the clinging warmth that made her sweat heavier, stickier.

It didn't help that her features were contrasted by her frozen lilac contours, and the cascading ivory coils that stopped just beneath her shoulder blades now felt heavy compared to the weight of the sword that was strapped at her hip. Unfortunately, she was too acutely aware of how out of place she was in this southern atmosphere, so she straightened her shoulders as her eyes briefly met each of her companions’, offering a glimpse of the guarded but earnest woman she was as she stood taller. “That said, I hope to contribute what I can to be worthy of your trust, and to learn from each of you in turn.” There was a flicker of something deeper in her eyes—perhaps the weight of her struggles, or the cautious hope that this might be a place she could find acceptance.

She dipped her head slightly, a gesture of both respect and reservation, as her hair and neatly pleated braid at the back of her head shifted over her shoulder. “I am grateful for this opportunity,” she said, her voice soft but steady. “I hope to prove myself worthy of it—and of all of you.”

 

[November Witch]

Lumina Wynntress

~{Resolution?}~​

Status: Exasperated
Location: Amaric Temple - 1st Floor - Trading Post
Mention(s): Sir Les Paul Merciless Medic EmperorsChosen SCP-0029

Lumina let out an annoyed breath as Minerva went on. “That’s for me to say Minerva, not you.” The witch said as the girl told Cole his apology would be accepted. She wanted to let him stew in his anxieties a little more as punishment. But perhaps this would be enough for him to learn… Or maybe he would just repeat this later down the line. Only time would tell. But she turned to face the others as Minerva continued speaking. Perhaps Minerva calling Cole out made up for the fact she spoiled Lumina’s lesson. Either way, attention was soon shifted to the Snow Elf, and Lumina found her interesting. Yes, because it was a snow elf, so the girl obviously caught her attention. But more than that, she mentioned her magic being different, which piqued her interest more. But that would have to wait for another time. They were already behind schedule at this point. Lumina wanted to wrap everything up here soon and be on their way.

“It’s a pleasure, Vaelithra. I’m Lumina, and it seems like I’ll be your impromptu guide for today.” She introduced herself politely. Today had already been quite the fiasco, and they hadn’t even set foot in the dungeon proper yet. Hopefully all the unexpected surprises for the day had occurred here and would leave the dungeon as a mostly predictable entity today. Though if Lumina knew one thing for sure, it’s that the dungeon was hardly predictable. “I appreciate your eagerness and hope to teach everyone what I can.” She assured not just the snow elf, but all within earshot. “Once the others return, we will begin our decent. As for you…”

Lumina turned her gaze towards Cole. Her arms were crossed, and her gaze icy, but a reluctance chipped away at it. “It’s true, I will accept your apology. It’s my fault for not assuming someone would take my words literally.” She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Someone always does. You’d think I’d learn by now.” The witch mumbled to herself before going on. “When I spoke of armor I did not mean all of it. When I spoke of questioning everything, I did not mean that literally. I’ll make sure to do my due diligence in the future and explain what I mean so this confusion doesn’t arise again, okay?” Once that was done, she turned and her gaze looked through the crowd before resting upon the other two. She motioned Cecelia and Leander towards their group, if they weren’t already on their way back. Lumina really hoped it was just Cole who had taken her words literally and not the others. She had a feeling she wouldn’t survive leading that group if that were the case.

“Is there anything else anyone would like to say or bring up before we start descending?”

 

[Sir Les Paul]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple (1st Floor)
DATE—Early Summer, 07/02
TIME—1005

Leander 🗲 Cromwell​

Lvl. 1 | Mage-Storm Sorcerer
Status Focused
Spell Slots
Lvl.1 3/3
Metamagic
1/1

TAGS Merciless Medic EmperorsChosen November Witch

Minerva was an odd one. Leander had noticed her almost immediately, and upon doing so, questioned everything that was going on. He recalled her interview with him. She initially seemed quite polite and almost bubbly. She, too, didn't believe someone of his youth and relative power level could utilize Lightning Bolt, let along do so as Cantrip. Or, that's what she led him to believe. She irked him so with her condescending disbelief that he elected to use it in front of her to which she... deflected. Not a counter spell, not a contest, not some nullification. She deflected it, as if prepared. He blasted his weakened Cantrip at her and she redirected it into a bottle of wine she had nearby, then corked it with some type of arcane lock.

She had caught his lightning in a bottle and played him the whole time to do so. He wasn't sure if she even still had it, but that wasn't the point. To this day, he didn't know if she truly didn't believe his claim or if she was simply playing him. He could normally read a person fairly well, but not her. She was as mysterious as the Fae and unfortunately freakily talented with the control of Magic. Rumor was, she was closer to a Bard than a Wizard.

Leander wasn't a fan of the woman left him guessing. His eyes narrowed at her sight and his focus became more fine.

Cole somehow completely overlooked Minerva and the Snow Elf beside Minerva. Oblivious to them, he continued on with his apology. And, by the gales of the high seas, was he right. He was terrible at apologizing. Perhaps, he was just terrible with communication in general. This seemed to be an observation Minerva made as well while she navigated the tumultuous seas of awkward created by his interruption. Had it not been for how vexed Leander was when Minerva was around, he might have felt some type of sympathy for his wolf-eared companion. As it stood, he couldn't help but agree with Minerva, which again irked him.

Then onto Vaelithra. At first glance, he was unimpressed. All this talk of grace and rarity, but he didn't care. Leander didn't really parse the physicality of the woman in front of him. The soft, pallid skin, the white hair that almost seemed illuminous, more typical sharp ears, and dainty form that made her feminine features shine. He didn't care. Leander was originally a man of the sea. He preferred the colors associated with them. Sun-kissed skin, dark hair bleached a brighter color, eyes of amber and honey. Though, he wasn't opposed to a verdant jewel, but those of pure azure hue just weren't what he favored. He loved the actual ocean and the true sky. He had never found a pair of eyes that captured the vast expanse he saw on open sea.

That was only at first glance. Vaelithra did have a quality to her that caught his attention. She radiated mana unlike anyone around him. Normally, this would be a waste, though clearly inside the Dungeon it was no problem. Outputting mana like that normally mean an excess of mana or a lack of control. In her case, it was both, but he couldn't initially tell. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't match her. Likely, the mana she poured out into the open atmosphere was only so intense because she continuously absorbed what was from the Dungeon, but even still, the volume was impressive. If she meant her magic was unique, it certainly was... something. He couldn't imagine not knowing the basics insofar of not knowing how to stop wasting your mana supply by keeping it inside. There had to be more to it than that, but he just didn't know. Not immediately. Whereas most men might be smitten by her form, Leander was intrigued by the mana that coursed through and out of her.

He wouldn't immediately allow her, or worse, Minerva to know that, though. Couldn't help to keep his curiosity from Lumina, either. At worse, Cecelia might pester him about his interest, but she likely wouldn't be problematic. It was in his best interest to not be his usual, overly-enthusiastic self for a moment. He had blurted out his interest with Neha and received some chiding for it, so it was fresh in his mind not to do the same thing with this Elf.

He leaned in closer to Cecelia and finally, after all this time, decided to share one of those 'first thoughts' with the rogue.

'Say nothing about Miss Minerva you wouldn't want held against you later..." A soft whisper, a little warning. 'She has a way of turning things on you."

Rude though it might have been to speak while Lumina was speaking, Leander genuinely did not care about her promise to be more clear in the future. He only spoke up again once she finalized her speech with a question.

"Mmm, no," Leander injected, then immediately contradicted myself, "let's just cut to the chase. I'm a Sorcerer that uses lightning, Cole is a warlock that can't speak worth a damn, Cecelia is a complete myster—" he halted here, realizing that this was perhaps not the best way to word her situation. He paused for moment, raised both his index fingers to emphasize the next set of words, correcting himself in his usual histrionic manner.

"Cecelia is a scout," he announced, further stressing that role she claimed. The one he clearly didn't believe.

"Lumina is a apparently a weather-wizard," he told her, shifting back to his normal cadence and speech after his slip up over Cecelia.

"And, I daresay, there is no reason to be so formal or assume you need to prove your worth. Aside from our esteemed Guide, this is the first delve for all of us. We're all just strangers learning to survive," he explained, being much more kind in his approach to the Snow Elf than he was the companions he had met not long before. His definition of Lumina had that same incredulous tone that his description of Cecelia carried, so it wasn't as if this gesture was bland with none of his typical spice. At the very least, there was one confirmed truth to what he said: this was a first for all of them but Lumina.

 

[The Regal Rper]

Malikron | Amaric Temple, 4th Floor

Roika’s cooing and praises aside did nothing to really secure Malikron's own sense that those mushrooms were edible even if she was picking them up with glee. He intended on asking more about the mushrooms after they had checked for any hidden threats.

Lucas' lecture though on his approach was overall understanding and a note he kept in mind for future situations. After all, damaging the goods they could use for money gains wasn't actually a smart thing to do. In reply he had merely nodded, and would have continued listening till at least Lucas tensed, and told Ake to get back. That had Malikron rising to alert immediately as the water shifted and things began exploding out of the pool.

He wasn't anywhere as close to it as Lucas and Ake themselves were but of the few flying razor winged creatures that came out, Malikron only managed to hit one, before completely abandoning any greater efforts of continuing to waste arrows.

The bow was put in its place behind him as Malikron said to his teammates: “Move back! I'm going to hit the pool with an electricity spell!” Blitzing forward just enough to cover the necessary range, most of the fish that did make it around Lucas and Ake and caught him in their range just to hit the metal of his armor which did nothing but cause a scratch, the leather however, he could hear the wings cut through. Within a short order given his teammates own lack of armor that would make this bad. The can trip was already active as static buzzed between fingers, all Malikron did in that exact moment, as he reached the necessary range to activate the spell was point at the pool, aimed with the same experience that he would an arrow as fish zoomed out, some slapping into his armor, or hitting the arm he had risen in defense. The bolt went up to the top of his index finger, and the Electric Jolt fired right into the pool with an electric buzz as it left his index finger like a much faster arrow, streaking past fish or catching some in its flight through arcs of electricity before it struck the pool and the entire thing was decorated in electric sparks.

Mentions: Sir Les Paul Shotgunpenguin Megilagor Daddy Dream

Interactions: n/a

 

[Sir Les Paul]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple (7th floor), Room of Surprise
DATE—07/02 | Early Summer
TIME—1137

Voice of the Patron: Urging from Atrataria​

Roika had faltered. Stood still, frozen with no direction or desire once combat truly broke out. A trance that would soon be broken.

"Lost daughter of the wood," a familiar voice, "do not sit like a lump on a decaying log."

It was none other than the Black Cap of the Forest. A strong maternal figure in her life, she who hated to see waste but reveled in decay. It was Atrataria, her patron of the Fae. It was not common for her to make such a direct appearance, but this was also the furthest Roika had ever been from her and the most outside of her element the young wood elf had found herself in her short twenty-eight years. If ever there was a time for guidance, now was it.

Atrataria was motherly and stern. Her high pitch voice had a fairly quick cadence, gently scolding Roika. For, she needed to. The elven girl knew better. She was not the same ignorant Kimioka that had nearly died in the deadlands between the Ardynport Farms and the Green Sea, but instead a capable albeit naïve woman of the forest. She could do better. She would do better, if Atrataria had anything to say about it.

"This... temple is a disgrace. These rooms, Roika, they simply reset without recycling what is inside. The dead fester until they are cleared by some unnatural force," Atrataria told her, a type of disgust found in her voice. The same disgust that was common when members of various villages failed to properly compost or reuse materials. The same type of disgust that came from simply burning good materials that could be used.

"You cannot hear it, but the world weeps. It cries out both in agony and.. in misery. Cleanse this abomination and a thousand more if need be," she demanded, being more forceful as she felt she had to be. Nurturing the young was not always done with a velvet hand. "I gave you my power, so use it." Clear instructions. Roika not only had the powers of a Fae, but the options in her skillset to actually handle a group of enemies exactly like this. She just had to actually think to use it.

She wasn't a bystander here. She was here by the will of her patron. A being who without, she would have been long dead.

Daddy Dream

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[EmperorsChosen]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple
DATE—07/02 | Early Summer
TIME—0931

Cecelia Blake​

Level 1 | Arcane Assassin
Spell Slots
Lvl. 1 3/3

TAGS Sir Les Paul Merciless Medic SCP-0029 November Witch

Cecelia was rather impressed by Cole's actions, not by the way he wove his apology, but rather how much he managed to butcher it. The rogue watched with a deadpanned expression next to Leander as he went forward with his apology, somehow failing to notice the other two that were with Lumina. However, it did seem to--work? At least partially. Cecelia's eyes widened ever so slightly at that.

Her eyes trailed to Leander as he leaned closer to her, sharing a word of warning about the woman who was speaking with Lumina. Minerva. It was quite odd to see Leander so cautious of a woman. Suffice to say, there was probably some kind of a history there.

Then she looked to the snow elf. The woman was stoic, guarded, but seemingly earnest. Cecelia had never seen one of her kind before and accordingly wasn't sure what to expect, either in regard to temperament or magic. She seemed polite enough, though, which Cecelia could appreciate.

Leander interjected next, seemingly wanting to finally depart and gave a rather terse explanation of each of the group. Cecelia's eyes narrowed as he got to her and quickly cut himself off. Unfortunately, what he was going to address her as would actually be a more well regarded specialization. "More firstborn thoughts, Ser Leander?" She remarked in her characteristic dry tone, but ultimately shook her head. "I must insist on agreement. You have no need to prove yourself to us," She added with a nod toward Vaelithra and subsequently Lumina. "No further questions, Lady Lumina."

 

[Daddy Dream]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple, Meeting point

Rioka Yorel​

LvL 1 | Spore Druid
Spell Slots
Lvl. 1: 2/3
Pact: 1/1

TAGS Shotgunpenguin | The Regal Rper | Megilagor

It happened quicker than what Rioka could realize as they encountered a group of flying fish came bursting out of the pond within the room. She was still too preoccupied by her recent mushroom find to really get a good idea of what was happening. The only thing she knew was the sound of the fish and the ringing of their wings cutting through the air irritated her ears. Watching as Lucas shoved, or attempted to shove, Ake back and to safety gave Rioka an opportunity to spot the large group. Rioka narrowed her eyes and raised her hand, a low whisper escaping her lips and drifting on the air towards her palm. Beads of black mist began forming above her hand, forming a large black mass.

"Devour."

With that single whispered word, she threw the black mass toward the center of the fish, watching as it exploded in a cloud of black spores. These spores would then cling to any fish that would pass through it, hardening them until they couldn't fly, and dropping them on the ground. If one would examine the trapped fish, they would witness its useless struggle as it was slowly consumed by the new organism that clung to them. However, if anyone in her party also got the spores on them, they, too will begin to be slowly consumed by them as well. The spell did not understand who was an ally and who was an enemy, everything was food to survive. Rioka dropped her hand once she finished casting Spore Cloud and sighed, charging up to do another.

 

[Shotgunpenguin]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple (7th floor - Room of Surprise)
DATE—Early Summer
TIME—11:39

Lucas Decovo

Level 3 | Alchemist/Supporter
Status: Optimistic, Invigorated
Ki Points 4/4
Spell Slots
Lvl. 1 1/2
Lvl. 2 1/1

TAGS The Regal Rper Daddy Dream Megilagor Sir Les Paul

Lucas cursed as he narrowly avoided having his throat sliced open by a passing razorfish, bending his upper body backwards before quickly jabbing his quarterstaff into the ground behind him in order to both right himself and avoid one that was set to slice up his shoulder. There were far too many for him to even begin to count, and the near constant nature of their attacks left him with precious little time to think. Thankfully though, it appeared as if Ake was quick on the uptake, as he let out a bellowing shout before his twin axes flew forward, catching both fin and fish alike in a splay of blood and guts.

He spun his quarterstaff in a defensive block, the treated wood smacking down fish after fish with wet and meaty smacks, even as their teeth and fins nicked and carved shallow gouges into the stick. There were simply too many of them to try and thin their numbers directly, and even if he were capable of doing so, he would choose not to. The razorfish were both a boon and a bane in a sense, as while they were actively trying to kill their group, they would also serve as a test for the trio. His eye shifted downward, noting how the fishes who had launched themselves waddled their way back to the edge of the pool before diving back in.

So long as they kept their wits about them and didn’t panic, they would soon realize the fatal flaw that these creatures possessed. While their speed and razor sharp extremities were a concern, they were only dangerous when they were able to launch themselves. Being aquatic in nature, the creatures could only ever attack from a single point, that being the pool of water before him and Ake. Cut off their access to it, and to put it simply it would be like shooting fish in a barrel.

Hearing Malikron’s warning, Lucas tensed his legs, leaping back in a diagonal line from the pond without a second thought. He didn’t know what form the elf’s magic would take, but he knew well enough that when someone tells you to move, you moved out of the way. He landed in a crouch, his back foot sliding slightly against the stone floor as he brought up an arm to ward off a fish that was aimed squarely at his throat. The creature dug its teeth into the flesh of his arm, gouging out a small bit of skin and muscle from his forearm as it flew past and flopped onto the ground, chewing at the meat with a hungry fervor.

He brought his arm down just in time to see a bright yellow streak shoot forward and touchdown into the pool of water, small crackles of electricity jolting from the surface and jumping between the fish, both those departing and those trying to re-enter it. The shock would disorient some of the fish, leaving them stunned for at least a moment, and if they were lucky they would fall upon their brethren as they launched themselves up, slicing through each other and throwing the rest off course.

Soon after, another bolt of magic would soon follow, although the effects it had on the fish were much more immediately apparent. Lucas tracked one such razorfish as it passed through the cloud, shooting out towards Ake before suddenly wavering in its trajectory. The fish flew off course, impacting the ground with a much more audible smack. Within a few scant seconds, small growths began to form on its body as it tried to right itself under the newfound weight, its fins flapping helplessly before growing still.

It wasn’t hard to assume that the spell was the work of the other elf, Roika, unless Malikron had thought to only warn them of one of his spells. Regardless, the combined effects of Malikron and Roika meant that any razorfish that was affected by their spells were quick work for both him and Ake.

“Good! Limit their access to the water and focus on finishing off the ones you can. We aren’t going to win this fight head on.” He called out to the group, spinning his quarterstaff a final time before reaching back into his bag of holding. After a second, he pulled his hand out, clenching a small and thickly wrapped bundle of thorned twigs.

“Twigs to rope and weeds to thorns, ensnare my foes to the dungeon floor.” He chanted, more out of a personal preference than an actual need. Chanting both helped him focus, and let his allies know that he was preparing to cast his magic. A green glow emanated from his hand, the bundle glowing before disappearing into a green light as he thrusted a hand out towards the bank of the pond. “Entanglement!”

A low groaning sounded out from the area he gestured to, before a roiling mass of vines sprouted from the ground, quickly fanning out and completely rapidly covering the area just before the bottom half of the pond. The vines would snap out and attempt to wrap around any of the retreating razorfish, holding them in place and slowing them down as they tried to return to the water.

 

[Sir Les Paul]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple (7th floor), Room of Surprise
DATE—07/02 | Early Summer
TIME—1138

The Dungeon could be an unpredictable thing. One might think such was obvious from the moniker these rooms had, but the means by which these rooms could surprise their victims was always changing and growing. No one alive could account for every unique room inside the temple.

Of the four, the two with the most profound impact on the fish were Ake and Roika. Although the Ancestral Shout Ake used was much less effective on the fish that first fled, there so many that he was still able to disperse the vortex of them. His shout is likely what kept Malikron from being consumed by a swarm of flying fish for daring to run into them. Roika, in no small part due to how close the fish were together following the shout from Ake, was able to cover a large majority of them. Though she had yet to cast another spell to Paralyze them, these fish and their thin membranes made for an easy meal for her mycelium. Creatures with fur or some type of hide could resist the irritation of her infection for quite some time, but the fins of these fish were already being worn through by it. Those in the front were already falling to the pool, unable to support themselves.

Ake was easily able to cleave through anything his axes were thrown at, he was merely limited by the volume. Malikron and his Jolt proved of mixed value. By the time that spark of electricity had reached out to the pool, it was but a tingle to the fish. It did manage to kill the first fish it leapt through, but there was a simple, straightforward problem: Jolt was the weakest of the lightning affinity Spells and Malikron had no natural strength with it anyway. It was simply too large of an ask to have it leap through the air and into a pool of water. One or the other might have worked, perhaps, but there was only so much the tiny spark could do.

Of course, the entanglement from Lucas served its purpose. The razorfish no longer had a means to retreat, meaning the battle of attrition was now heavily in their favor. Unfortunately, the fish were fucking stupid, so it didn't necessarily stop them from launching themselves like torpedoes at the group.

Then came the actual surprise.

The North end of room shuddered. The stone doors opened. Rooms of Surprise virtually never reset with Dungeoneers in them, so they were at least safe of that. No, this was a different, yet still rare phenomenon: an expanding room. One that periodically or perhaps via some trigger opened to another room. In this case, the wall on the North side, centered exactly like East-side entrance they came in through, slide open. Even if they were there to inspect it, seeing the crease where it opened would have been fairly difficult. It didn't matter at this point, the deed was done.

What poured through was a series of dog-sized spiders. Black arachnids covered with fur, shorter legs, a smaller abdomen, but massive fangs. They did not skitter, in fact, they made no noise as they came into the room. They were slow, oddly stealthy creatures that preferred to keep to the shadows. One by one they came in, three, then four, of various sizes, but none taller than the waistline of Ake. Now, Lucas knew these specific arachnids. They were somewhat common amongst the lower floors. They were called Thief Spiders. Only a mild venom, but ambush predators. They could change their fur color to blend into surroundings almost seamlessly and were notoriously fast. Their main hunting method was to steal loot and wait for someone to try and get it, then pounce them. Their general goal was to kill in a single, quick bite.

Hence, the "thief" spiders. Stealing loot or items, keeping items from previous hunts, hiding in the shadows, quick kills. What didn't make sense was how small they were and the fact there were so many. Thief Spiders were mostly solitary. Even when they mated, the male was consumed and its body used to house eggs. They were also larger, more like grizzly bears than dogs. Whatever mutation was going on here must have been the result of the Room.

In any case, these spiders were absolutely ravenous. Starving. Against their ambush instincts, they intended to encroach on the fight to attack and eat everything in their sight. Their aversion to the bright light kept them along the edges, but they were en route. Their sheer speed would prove to be the most dangerous thing about them.

A fourth? That was a fourth one coming out. There were still more coming out of the North room. True through it was that Roika had coated half of the Flying Razorfish, they were now only one of two threats. Lessened though they may be, Ake was soon to be upon a spider the size of a Doberman, Malikron was in a precarious position due to overreaching for his Jolt, Roika was safe for the moment but only because the spiders en route to her had a longer path, and Lucas was caught in the middle of it all.

Spoiler: Updated Encounter Map

Daddy Dream Megilagor The Regal Rper Shotgunpenguin

​

 

[Merciless Medic]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple, Trading Post
DATE—07/02 | Etiuary, Monday
TIME—1012

Cole Forrest​

Lvl. 1 | Warlock
Status: Frustrated, Confused
Spell Slots
Lvl. 1 2/2
Pact 1/1

TAGS EmperorsChosen Sir Les Paul November Witch SCP-0029

There was a beautiful petite woman talking to Lumina at the moment. He didn’t know her name, but she exuded authority. Beside her, was a Snow Elf lady. He paused, staring at her. She’d fetch a pretty penny as a slave, especially since they’re rare around here. However, he’s no slaver, and she was likely protected anyway. He was quiet, his lupine ears quirked towards one side in confusion. He wasn’t embarrassed, just confused. So, he stayed silent, waiting for Minerva’s and Lumina’s conversation to get finished, especially as Lumina told him to standby.

He studied Vaelithra, seemingly confused by her appearance. Not disgusted or holding disdain, just wondering if she were joining them. It seemed they were a magic-heavy group, which meant that the only frontmen would be Leander and Cecelia, which also meant they both needed to be supported.

What he didn’t expect was the intendant injecting with her bit, staring at her with some confusion. Wait, why was she accepting Lumina’s apology for her? That was strange. But then she decided to correct him on his apology. He huffed, crossing his arms. “It’s my first time…” He rolled his eyes and grumbled, tail bristling and ears folding back, but tried to not carry that same frustrated energy to Vaelithra’s greeting, his ears perked up at least to show interest.

She seemed extremely nervous, so he relaxed his stance, wondering if that would help. She was quite short, quite cute-

Anyway, being a horndog aside, Cole focused on her words. Snow Elf he got already from earlier, but Vaelithra also hoped to be on a high note with the rest of the group. He just gave a small smile, hoping this would help disarm her nerves. Then his ears fell as he felt Lumina go from introducing herself to Vaelithra to talking to him. But, his ears slowly perked up as even Lumina stated that she’d do better next time, even if it sounded a bit backhanded. “Thank you.” He purred. Apparently, trying to get him to stew on his anxieties didn’t work because he had none. He had a pretty and shy Snow Elf to stare at and wonder why she’s here.

However, Leander took his thunder by taking away his introduction and his ears fell back, glaring back at him. “Hey! Who said you could- gah, whatever…” He took a deep breath and let it go, huffing as he looked away, glaring at a wall like a petulant child.

Once Cecelia stopped speaking, he nodded and returned to an attempt at a smile. “Yeah, I third that. You’ll be more worried about surviving than you are making a good impression when we’re down there. And, Leander forgot, but Cecelia uses illusionary magic and I use shadow magic. Sorta.” He didn’t explain why, but he wasn’t about to explain where it came from. “So, what sort of magic do you do? I can feel it’s… coming out of you in waves.” He had unwittingly walked into a pun.

He then realized he forgot something and smiled at Lumina. “Oh, and no other questions. Not yet anyway.”

 

[November Witch]

Lumina Wynntress
~{Information}~
Status: Neutral
Location: Amaric Temple - 2nd Floor - Secured Floors
Mention(s): EmperorsChosen Merciless Medic SCP-0029 Sir Les Paul

Those around her continued to talk to one another and introduce themselves. She gave it a few moments, and when three of the four seemed to indicate they didn’t have any further questions for her, she would clap her hands together and gesture to the stairs. “Right. We are already behind schedule. At least, I would assume. Whatever itinerary Neha had, I wasn’t privy to. So, this is all going to be impromptu. Let’s talk while we walk.” The witch would say, before giving a single wave goodbye to Minerva and walking towards the stairs after the others, bringing up the rear of the group. The others were correct in what they told their newest addition. There wasn’t much use to being so formal. But dammit, Lumina enjoyed formalities, so she was appreciative of it, nonetheless.

“I suppose I was getting ahead of myself earlier.” She started. “So, I will give you all some basic information. First of all, the secured levels. Everything between 1 and 5 are essentially fully secured because of how often they are traveled.” Her voice echoed through the stairway, and she certainly sounded like a professor giving a lesson. “The most you will find here are some rats and vines. Things most normal adventurers could handle with a dagger. So, we’ve got a bit of descending to go until we run into anything noteworthy. That being said, don’t let your guard down. I’ve come across those unfortunate enough to be strangled to death by a vine due to a lack of attention and clumsy hands.” It was natural selection at that point. Someone being too dumb or overconfident, and breaking the rules. At that point, it was getting close to the point of being deserved, no?

“The last of the single digits are the proving grounds. It’s as they sound, and where you prove your worth. These floors give insight to what the deeper ones hold. A drop in the glass. However, drops can fill up quickly. There are occasionally surprises or powerful foes on these floors, though it’s likely due to parties neglecting certain areas of the dungeon. That, or on rare instances, creatures can find a way out of the surprise rooms.” With that, Lumina went quiet, opening the floor up for questions and discussions as the group touched down on the ground level of the second floor.

 

[Sir Les Paul]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple (1st Floor)
DATE—Early Summer, 07/02
TIME—1022

Leander 🗲 Cromwell​

Lvl. 1 | Mage-Storm Sorcerer
Status Focused
Spell Slots
Lvl.1 3/3
Metamagic
1/1

TAGS Merciless Medic EmperorsChosen November Witch SCP-0029

CRAAAAAAAAAAACK.​

Lumina had just finished explaining that creatures–barely. Leander had the tendency to be running on all cylinders at all times. His specific sensitivity to mana made this worse at the moment, and he was both rearing and ready to go. The leisurely stroll through these boring floors was hardly cutting it for him.

Not that he wasn't paying attention. Quite the opposite. Leander was always paying attention. Perhaps too much attention. He could sense the mild frustration from Cole. He knew Vaelithra had yet to explain her abilities despite being asked, through Lumina commandeered the conversation before she could. Unless she was intent to hide them, she would likely do so later. The half-truth about Cece with her illusions irked him, but only because he actually wanted to know more. In general, he wanted to learn all he could. Transparency is what he hoped for.

The problem with paying attention like he did and possessing a hair-trigger with his beloved lightning magic was the high risk of flinging a spell at an absolutely inopportune time.

Like right now.

The party had yet to run into one of the patrolling guards. They were most common on the first and second floors, but present all the way down to the fourth. Yet another reason the fifth floor to the ninth was called the Proving Grounds. It was when the hand-holding stopped. If there was ever a direct explanation that there were guards patrolling the area, Leander didn't recall it. Not that it would matter; it could have just as easily been another delver.

Leander let loose one of his trademark [Lightning Bolt] cantrips. Surprisingly powerful for a Cantrip, likely to do more damage than a [Firebolt], but far, far faster. Of course, it wasn't any regular Cantrip, but a highly downcast variant of a level three Spell well outside of his regular skill level. The sematics didn't matter, the fact that in a flash and before Lumina could elucidate them on the wandering patrols and to be on the look out for other parties, the blue streak of electricity had made its way down the hall. The air heated, the crack it made was loud, and it would have put the rudimentary [Jolt] Malikron could cast to shame.

Luckily, these guards were generally experienced combatants. Could he dodge lightning? No. He had an an enchanted shield that took most of the hit, leaving him unscathed and his shield with a scorch mark.

Almost immediately, he shouted back, "HALT!" This actually wasn't as uncommon as one might think. Nerves often got the better of new delvers. Not the same excitement Leander had, but being fired upon wasn't unheard of.

"I'M WITH THE GUILD, STOP FIRING!" he demanded, still shouting with a good bit of authority in his voice. Lumina in her time had seen this type of thing before. They would get scolded by him and let off with a warning. Which was true, this specific guard cared more about the fact he would now have to reclean his shield. At least the Guild would reimburse him for the enchantment recharge.

"Oops," Leander muttered, realizing his mistake. Guilty eyes gleaned over to Lumina. Crazy how he much less he had to say when he was the one causing problems, not Cole.

At the very least, Lumina (as well as the rest of the party) had a chance to see his favored Spell in its full form. Even if he could use it at will, that thing could be dangerous in the close confines of the Dungeon with a party. Lightning, much like fire, was a volatile affinity of magic to begin with.

 

[SCP-0029]

LOCATION—2nd Floor; Almaric Temple
DATE—07/04 | Early Summer
TIME—1023

Vaelithra Velaryth​

Level o1 | Frontline Class
Status

Spell Slots
Lvl. 1 1/2
Pact 1/1

TAGS November Witch Merciless Medic EmperorsChosen Sir Les Paul

Vaelithra blinked, slightly taken aback by the commentary that came from the individuals who introduced themselves to be Lumina, Leander, the enigma that was Cecilia, and . . . Cole. She felt warmth spread across her neck and cheeks—the tropical weather was bothering her, or at least she would have liked this to be the case. Vaelithra had been anticipating this moment for quite some time, and it would be a lie to say she hadn’t expected a formal response in return, for she did. Nevertheless, the tension in her shoulders—something she hadn’t even realized was there—began to ease with a new trepidation. While Lumina urgently pressed the party forward, Vaelithra was still processing the group’s responses—notably Cole’s.

As Vaelithra’s head bobbed in passing towards Minerva, a polite dismissal, the snow elf fell into step behind Lumina, alongside the rest of them. Doing her best to listen intently verbatim to the witch before her, Lumina explained that the levels between one and five were secured due to the frequent activity. Understandably, rats and vines were commonplace, but one had to be careful in the Amaric Temple. Especially since they were now on the second floor, per Lumina’s recollection, it wouldn’t be uncommon for a lack of awareness to result in death from a mere plant.

With that, Vaelithra’s fingers had even twitched. Her silver-hued eyes immediately looked up at Cole’s ears, twitching in a way that was all too familiar to her. She had even recalled how ears like his were the very ears she would stare at in the midst of a hunt, wondering if her prey could hear or sense her coming before a well-maneuvered pounce, only for eyes to trail to the shaggy mop of hair and settle on his broad, taut physique. She exhaled, a huff of air blowing out of her nose with exasperation.

Vaelithra was not charmed by men who oscillated between irritation, intrigue, and flirtation in rapid succession. Not ready to conclude that this was distrust towards a stranger, she quickly concluded that he was immature. She even dismissed his earlier question without an answer, perturbed by the thought that she had already imagined him getting strangled by a vine due to some display of recklessness. In fact, his shifting demeanor hardly did much to reinforce her unease, and it bothered her more to know that her lack of control elicited a response laced with double entendres.

Suffice it to say, the snow elf was bristled by the fiend and the semantics he was playing.

Her thoughts on Cole’s oscillations hardly had any time to settle when there was a sudden hiss—CRAAAAAAAACK.

Power surged—a flicker of magic that definitely did not belong to her nor to the humid air that once wrapped around her as it shattered the ambient tension. It was sudden, raw, and much like a blade that swung too recklessly in a crowded room as lightning hit an unsuspecting guard. Vaelithra tensed. Not because she was afraid but because of the impeccable timing of it all. Glancing at Leander, this time sharper, assessing; his dark blue hair and shameful red eyes did little to elicit some chemical response amid her curiosity. However, with the reckless display of his cantrip, she had another factor to contend with, for she felt she was now in the company of not one but two unpredictable men. It made her uncomfortable knowing that she had readily classified Leander as unpredictable, especially given that his reaction had her think it wasn’t intentional. Still, clearly, the guards' outbursts suggested that he could harm someone with that bolt alone.

But that’s not what startled her. No, instead, what startled her was that her hand had gripped the hilt of her sword that was strapped to her right hip, her fingers tight as if bound by ice—it was. Her silver eyes need not travel the length of her hide-armored torso for her to feel the [Ice Armor] cantrip she had reflexively released into her sword. With a slow, measured exhale through her nose, Vaelithra forced herself to relax, although the stiffness in her posture remained as she mumbled a prayer, “Frost-bound spirits, hold me firm.”

 

[The Regal Rper]

Malikron | Amaric Temple, 4th Floor

Roika and Ake were taking care of the fish and even if the spell he had cast hadn't been as effective as he had expected. A minor disappointment really, but as long as it did something it was better than nothing.

The real problem was the appearance of the giant spiders. While not as insanely fast as he had expected, they were still an alarming sight nonetheless. Not alarming enough however to slow the elf down in his now fervent movements.

He immediately proceeded to cast a cantrip as one blitz it's way right towards Ake, and another moved in his direction. The thought to talk to the creatures did cross his mind, but with how they approached, he was not about to believe he could talk these beasts out of anything or gain anything of worth trying. The cantrip he used specifically effected the five arrows he had in his fingers.

The reddish purple glow of Bloodletter enchanted each arrowhead with a lethal ability he hoped would be effective. The first arrow he sent went straight towards the one going for Ake, the second and third he fired was the one approaching him. The fourth went after the closest to Roika, and the fifth arrow he reserved.

All while firing his arrows Malikron also considered if he should use one of his forms. The only one that seemed even remotely useful was the Wolf form, but even then, he was doubtful that was a smart idea against creatures as large as this and so many too. He knew he had another spell that gave him poison resistance, but at the same time, he was really just thinking what the worth would be at using any form in this fight at the moment.

For now, he was just going to time the use of one of those forms carefully instead of rushing to use it right off the bat.

Mentions: Sir Les Paul Shotgunpenguin Megilagor Daddy Dream

Interactions: n/a

 

[Megilagor]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple — (7th floor - Room of Surprise)
DATE—Early Summer
TIME—11:27

Ake Sigurd​

LvL 1 | Totemic Warrior

Spell Slots
Lvl. 1 2/2

TAGS Daddy Dream , Shotgunpenguin , The Regal Rper , Sir Les Paul

Ake was beginning to grow tired and furious of those razorfish, the fight felt too easy, so when he heard something open within this room and saw big spiders emerge from said opening he was at least a bit more excited about them than he was with the fishes. Though he did not know the spiders, not like he really needed to that it, for him after all an enemy is an enemy, something or someone meant to cut down.

"How in the Helheim are those spiders so big." Ake said loudly upon seeing the approaching giant spider. Seeing the elf's Mali... whatever his name is, arrow flew at the spider first giving Ake time to change from his two throwing axes to his twohanded bardiche. A small smile grew on Ake's face a fight was coming, a proper fight not like the one with the fishes, though was it a good one...

As Ake held the bardiche tight he cast upon himself the memories of Aevarics Cleave in the hopes his ancestor shall impart part of his strength onto Ake his descendant in this very moment. Having done so Ake swung his bardiche as if he was chopping down logs with a strong and heavy overhead swing down onto the spider's body.

 

[Daddy Dream]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple, Meeting point

Rioka Yorel​

LvL 1 | Spore Druid
Spell Slots
Lvl. 1: 2/3
Pact: 1/1

TAGS Shotgunpenguin | The Regal Rper | Megilagor

Her attention didn't pull away from the fish and onto the spiders until she heard the whizzing of one of Malikron's arrows fly through the air. As she looked up, the large spiders had already come through the door. A shiver raced down her spine and she recoiled at their sight at first, having hated giant bugs and the sounds they make. Even worse, it was a spider and one that she had to see physically skitter around the area. They looked starved, and judging by how Ake smashed his weapon into one, sounded starved too.

"I hate giant, crunchy insects. She groaned, the sound of the crunch rippling through her bones. It made her feel ill, made her skin crawl, and caused her hair to stand on end. However, a whisper came to her ear, one that spoke to her and gave her a plan. I washed away her disgust and gave her strength as she raised her hand and cast her Pact Slot spell - Spore Reanimation. "I request the assistance of Atrataria to rebirth and arise this spider to fight alongside my allies."

A bit of theatrics never hurt anyone, especially if she was trying to distract herself by chanting. The spores of her spell previous ripped away from the dead fish and enveloped the lifeless body of the spider. It glowed, if one could say that, with a black aura as the broken pieces were pulled back together causing the body with quiver and shake in front of Ake. as the legs twitched and the innards were sucked back in, the spider sprung back to life, ten little mushrooms sprouting from its broken exoskeleton symbolizing its remaining lifespan. It quickly turned away from Ake and faced the closest spider in its range, lunging forward and attacking on sight, sinking its massive fangs into ones abdomen.

 

[Merciless Medic]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple, 2nd Floor
DATE—07/02 | Etiuary, Monday
TIME—1023

Cole Forrest​

Lvl. 1 | Warlock
Status: Irate
Spell Slots
Lvl. 1 2/2
Pact 1/1

TAGS EmperorsChosen Sir Les Paul November Witch SCP-0029

As they walked, they finally got some information regarding the floors themselves and what to expect. He looked around at the place, keeping his eyes off their newest member. He can practically smell her... what was it... concern? Trepidation? Something, her uneasiness was making him feel a little uneasy subconsciously.

Fascinating that monsters can just surprise them though. They had to really be cautious.

As they touched down on the second floor and Lumina asked if they had any questions, lightning erupted and landed on a patrolling guard's shield. Cole's tail puffed out and he jumped a bit, not expecting such a loud sound. He then stared at Leander, eyelids drooping in a half-lidded disappointed stare. "Good going, lightning man." He huffed, ears folding back from the loud words from the guard as he stood there with arms crossed. He fully expected an apology, and there was just silence. Aside from an oops.

"Oops? That doesn't sound like a proper apology, Leander..." He glared at him, wanting to see Leander apologize for what he did, since he was made to do so earlier.

He noticed Vaelithra's sudden reaction to holding her sword, and he raised an eyebrow. Was that ice on her fingers? Strange. At least he knew her element is ice-related, but it was too soon to tell where exactly it came from. Though, for all intents and purposes, she seemed to be a regular mage.

Of course, this obvious stare at her hand was because he had felt her gaze on him earlier on their walk down and it slightly unnerved him. Like he was being sized up. So, he let his intrigued gaze linger a bit longer before returning his ire to Leander.

 

[November Witch]

Lumina Wynntress

~{Lightning, But No Thunder}~​

Status: Exasperated
Location: Amaric Temple - 2nd Floor - Secured Floors
Mention(s): EmperorsChosen Merciless Medic SCP-0029 Sir Les Paul

Lumina shot a glare at Leander when the rogue spell was cast from him. He didn’t look nervous. In fact, he seemed pretty giddy and ready to go. She hadn’t had the chance to go over the abilities of everyone, as she wasn’t originally in charge of the delve. But if he had trouble controlling his magic, it’s something she really wished she had known before this delve started. But it was when a shout was heard from down the hall, that she pinched the bridge of her nose. Great. This was certainly a good first impression on her first guided delve. Then again, it seemed that nothing went right when Lumina was around. She caught Leander glancing at her, and she stared back with some annoyance, but mostly it was a neutral expression. This would be a learning experience for him. She gestured with her head to the guard down the hall, as if saying 'Well, go apologize now.' She crossed her arms and waited for the apology that would come from him.

Until Cole spoke up once more. She would give him the same glare she’d just given Leander. Icy and with no warmth within them. “Shouldn’t you at least give him enough time to apologize as you were given? If I recall, you had a minute or two to think one up and present it to me. Why don’t you show him the same courtesy you were given. That’s only fair, yes?” Lumina wasn’t trying to embarrass Cole. But he was acting in a hypocritical manner at the moment. She would have to keep an eye on Cole and his words, as they could cause issues in the future if left unchecked. It seemed Vaelithra was already eying him wearily. Whether it was because of his words, actions, or something else, Lumina couldn’t tell. Only make an educated guess. However, she wanted to nip this Cole problem in the bud before it became a problem. While she was fine with whatever he could say to her, she didn’t know how prone the others were to react to words Cole may say at an inopportune time. Like now with Leander.

She’d seen it before. A mouthy mage had said something snarky to a paladin some floors down in a party some time ago. That paladin had turned around and knocked the mage out cold, destroying their delve. Not that she expected something like that here, but she wanted to save Cole that pain in the future if he made this job his career.

Vaelithra’s actions would not go unnoticed either. The mage would move to the snow elf’s side. Her eyes remained on Leander, and the guard, but she stood next to the girl. “There’s no need for that. It is just a guard with the guild.” Her voice was definitely softer and not as icy as when she had spoken to the previous two. It was quieter too, not wanting to draw attention to the actions of the elf from the others. Lumina, again, made an educated guess. She doubted Vaelithra had thought there was an actual threat before them, but perhaps it was a force of habit from her past. "Take a deep breath." She could only imagine how on edge a snow elf would be in an area outside her home. She didn’t need someone else throwing a spell at a guard. So, she could only hope her presence and words would keep the snow elf from doing so.

 

[Sir Les Paul]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple (2nd Floor)
DATE—Early Summer, 07/02
TIME—1025

Leander 🗲 Cromwell​

Lvl. 1 | Mage-Storm Sorcerer
Status Focused
Spell Slots
Lvl.1 3/3
Metamagic
1/1

TAGS Merciless Medic EmperorsChosen November Witch SCP-0029

Unlike Cole, Leander didn't wear his mistakes with shame. Was it a little embarrassing? Perhaps. Despite that, Leander was a child of the court. Even grave errors can be carried with grace, and this was but a minor one apparently.

His transition from acknowledging his misfire with his slip of oops to owning it in full was smooth. He straightened his back, raised his hands slowly with his palms facing the guard, then tilted his head off to one side with a slight shrug on that same shoulder. His thumb swayed outward, rotating from his wrist, all matching this same dismissive movement. By this time, the guard had relaxed regardless. Not due to Cole or Vaelithra, but the words of Lumina. Context clues told him she was the leader there and she had already reined her people in.

"Yeah, yeah... that was not my finest moment," Leander admitted, keeping any amount of guilt or shame reduced down to their most minimal levels.

"My due apologies, good sir. I am Leander Cromwell of the Whitestone Consortium and I meant no harm or offense," Leander announced, bold and audacious given he was just firing lightning.

His soft smile turned into a smirk. Leander clenched both of his fists tight and in doing so, a veil of crackling static shot off his form. Nothing more than a flex of his mana; it wouldn't have done any damage to anyone nearby even if they were. A fuzzy, tingling sensation would be what it amounted to beyond his theatrics. Still, the fact he could just willfully do so demonstrated a fair level of control over his element given his youth. He was nowhere near the knowledge or skill level of Lumina, after all.

"I'm just... excited," Leander announced, "I've never felt this much power in my life." That was the truth. A single, shining piece of truth within the shadows of slight deception.

The guard approached, but just shook his head with exasperation. "Yeah, kid, we all got the jitters the first time," he scolded, though not nearly as harsh as it could have been. "Just think before you cast, Sparky. People been down here since first sunlight and reports are that the halls are mostly cleared up to the sixth," he informed, though mostly in a targeted attempt to defuse the apparently short wick Leander had.

Disappointing. That was his thought.

The guard eyed Lumina, but had nothing really more to say. He wasn't going to report this incident since it seemed to be a genuine mistake. Had this been some fault of skill or intentional malintent, it might have gone differently. However, on day one with the new dungeoneers, there were plenty of mishaps like this between nerves and excitement. Punishing them served no real purpose.

Leander eyed Lumina, too. Not in the same way Cole did. He processed all that she had said before he fired his bolt. The rooms of surprise, leaks, how floors one through five were secured, how most enemies up to room six apparently were cleared. How all they saw in front of them happened to be just drops in a glass, to speak. Judging by how long it took them to walk, it would be fifteen to twenty minutes to descend floors, and now they would need to do so for what? Five or six more? Nearly three hours of walking, counting the return trip. Leander was an impatient soul and the prospect of just walking to get to these encounters had him perturbed.

"When will there be something I can shock?" he asked bluntly. Almost a demand of a question, a lot of attitude coming from someone that just nearly blasted someone with magic.

 

[Shotgunpenguin]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple (7th floor - Room of Surprise)
DATE—Early Summer
TIME—11:39

Lucas Decovo

Level 3 | Alchemist/Supporter
Status: Confused
Ki Points 4/4
Spell Slots
Lvl. 1 1/2
Lvl. 2 1/1

TAGS The Regal Rper Daddy Dream Megilagor Sir Les Paul

By all accounts, the trio were easily working their way through the remaining fish. With their return point being cut off and their numbers being thinned by both the broad swings of Ake and the spore forming cloud of Roika, things were going almost too well. Of course, the moment the traitorous thought formed in his mind, the dungeon responded as if to prove him wrong. Stone scraped against stone as a doorway slowly opened on the northern wall. No sooner did it open than a black figure scuttled out, its beady black eyes taking in the room and his group.

“What, thief spiders?!” Lucas watched as the furred creatures scuttled out of the newfound doorway, with an eerie silence as the arachnid emerged, followed by another, until four of them had shown themselves. “Don’t let them bite you. They have a nasty toxin that paralyzes.” Despite his confusion, it was not directed towards their presence in the room. Being a room of surprise it was a given that creatures from lower floors could occasionally appear, especially so if they were unlucky enough to encounter a rarity such as an expanding room. No, his confusion was at the fact that not only were they much smaller than usual, the largest one being barely half the size of what it would normally be. Additionally, the fact that there were more than one of them added another layer to his confusion. Thief spiders were usually solitary creatures, territorial and fiercely protective of their nests. To see multiple of them not only being in the same room, but also going against their usual nature was almost unheard of.

They were usually opportunistic ambushers at worst, preferring to lay in wait for the foolish delver to break away from their group for the promise of better loot. Stealthy creatures with a venom that, while not as lethal as some of the other creatures that could be found on the lower floors, still contained a potent neurotoxin that would paralyze the body. Even if the spider was somehow driven off, the venom would ensure a slow and drawn out end for the unlucky recipient, as their muscular system would lock up, followed by the paralyzation of their internal organs. Seconds become agonizingly long as the lungs quivered, the heart desperately trying to pump and circulate blood flow through veins that rapidly stiffened. Of course, with a proper antidote administered quickly enough, survival was possible. Of course, there was just one issue with that.

‘Shit, did I bring an antivenom for thief spiders?’ Lucas quickly racked his brain, mentally running through every one of his concoctions and creations that he had stored within his bag of holding. He smacked down another fish with his quarterstaff with an almost disinterested stroke of the weapon, his mind briefly distracted by his mental inventory. ‘Impact foam, spiderbags, creeping scorpion anti-venom, succu-’ His thoughts were interrupted as one of the spiders made a b-line towards him, scuttling towards him while letting out a warning hiss.

‘Damn, I don’t think I have any on me.’ The spider passed up Ake, perhaps thinking that the giant was too dangerous of a target to take on, leaving the task to one of the others. A decision that proved fruitful, as Ake’s strike caved in the top of its exoskeleton with a sickening crunch, bits of hardened chitin cracking off and scattering across the floor. Unfortunately, Lucas lacked the goliath’s natural strength. That much was obvious as he jabbed the butt of his quarterstaff at the spider’s face, the wood clacking against the exoskeleton and causing the beast to flinch back before renewing its advance.

Lucas shuffled backwards, trying to gain some distance from the creature. The furry arachnid reared back on its hind legs, waving its front legs in warning before lunging forward in an attempt to pin him down and sink its fangs into his shoulder. Lucas dodged to the side, rearing back his quarterstaff to strike, only for the hairs on the back of his neck to raise on end. A quick warning honed by years in the dungeon, Lucas ducked beneath the fish that was poised to gouge out a fresh hole in the delver's throat. Although the threat of the thief spiders was more present, that didn’t mean that the razorfish ceased to exist. If anything, the threat of the fish was only heightened now that he was forced to focus on the furry arachnid in front of him.

Currently, none of his spells would be of much help this close to the creature. Fortunately, he had other tools at his disposal than magic. As he swung his quarterstaff downwards to ward off the beast, Lucas shifted his body to the side so that the amount of torso the spider could attack was minimized. When it leapt forward in an attempt to bite him once again he flung the quarterstaff at the beast while his now free hand shot into his bag of holding, before pulling out a small parchment bag about the size of a gold coin. The contents of the bag shifted as he tensed, ready to throw one of his alchemical creations at the creature.

Flash powder, a coarse and grey powder that when exposed to flame or a strong enough impact, would explode in a large and rather loud flash. An impact such as being violently thrown against the hardened exoskeleton of an overgrown spider. Releasing the cloth bag, it flew straight into the face of the spider in a bright flash, temporarily blinding it. The spider recoiled, lashing out with its forelegs wildly as it hissed and screeched. Stepping forward, Lucas narrowed his eyes as the foreleg swung towards him, bringing the back of his hand up to slightly divert the strike as he twisted to the inside of it. The second foreleg came from above in an attempt to spear down into the back of his skull, the spindly appendage being knocked off course as he brought an elbow up to strike it away.

Although his days as a practitioner were long behind him, his body would never forget the lessons drilled into him by his former master. Using the impact of his elbow as recoil, Lucas shifted his weight, the flow of his attack circling through his body and down to his feet, before returning back to his open palm as he thrusted it directly into the head of the spider, directly above its mandibles and between its eyes.

 

[Sir Les Paul]

LOCATION—Amaric Temple (7th floor), Room of Surprise
DATE—07/02 | Early Summer
TIME—1140

Some efforts proved more fruitful than others. The sheer strength of Ake was enough to split the chitinous exoskeleton of a thief spider in one fell swoop using his greataxe. A feat that none other in the party could accomplish in his scenario. With just one swing, he caused the ravenous arachnid to draw its last breath. In that same final breath, Roika was given the opportunity to reanimate that very spider. An action that consumed most of her time given she had to control the spores long distance to do so, but the results added another front line fighter.

This is where another unique interaction occurs. Fae recognizes Fae. While Ake didn't have a Patron in the same sense as Malik or Roika, Arjuk was still present in the great warrior. The spirits that Ake invoked were through his power, after all. It was then that Aevar, the very spirit Ake channeled for his cleave, received a message from their patron to pass along. "Warrior of Sigurd blood, Arjuk tells us that this abomination spider now fights with us under the will of another Fae. You need not cut it down again,' he warned, else there was a likelihood a warrior such as Ake would have not known the animation was from his ally. Roika had not communicated this aspect of her abilities, a folly that could have been costly under other circumstances.

Malik would have a similar experience, albeit entirely different reasons. Kiya-o was bound within him, unlike either Roika or Ake who received their blessings from a distance. It meant that once Arjuk and Atrataria made their presences known, it created an immediate hierarchy of Fae. Kiya-o was struck with a type of vicious insecurity that bled into his protégé. He was now at the bottom of the pecking order. A wandering Fae of vengeance was situated well below a spiritual guardian like Arjuk and even further below an ancient Fae like Atrataria. In terms of power and reverence, the Black Cap of the Forest - the moniker of Atrataria - exceeded the other two combined. How this girl came to be a patron of such a finnicky, ancient Fae was one mystery. Not a question Kiya-o shared, not yet, but the feelings that the Fae had about the sudden realization were now feelings imparted onto Malik.

Insecurity, as if now somehow below everyone in his group. A guide and two greater Fae. Worse, Kiya-o in his own pettiness and pride didn't explain why. It didn't help that Bloodletter only helped those arrows if they were to cause some type of bleeding and thus far, none had landed a hit that truly pierced the exoskeleton of the arachnids. Mylian, the enchanted bow he used, simply didn't have enough force behind it. Strength, not agility, is what made an archer. Enough arrows would eventually lead to a clean hit, but Malik lacked the immediate skill to reliably land them.

Meanwhile, the arachnid Roika had resurrected was far stronger than its living counterparts. No longer starving or burdened by the panic of its natural instincts, it could function at its full capacity which was enhanced by the borrowed power of Atrataria. Despite its relatively small stature, this [Animated Thief Spider] possessed the power to pin down and fight its brethren, so long as they weren't considerably larger than it. While the creature may have appeared grotesque and malformed due to the mycelium that pieced it back together, it was now a valuable force on their side of the field with Roika at its command.

Lucas learned a lesson about the Thief Spider he didn't know, mostly because he had never seen them in these smaller, juvenile states. One of their methods of self defense at a close range was to release their fur in a cloud of thin whiskers that acted as skin and lung irritants. His punch would land squarely on the head of the Wolf Spider he aimed for and even cause two of its eight eyes to burst, subsequently dazing the creature for a brief time. In turn, he was hit with an explosion of irritating fur that set his lungs aflame and caused his skin to itch and burn as if being ran through sandpaper.

Spoiler: Updated Encounter Map

Daddy Dream Megilagor The Regal Rper Shotgunpenguin

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