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A Ridiculous Rapids Rescue

Scene details

Setting: Our heroes pursue the Reizenapping Catgirl Mafia in a magitech speedboat chase into the perilous Twilight Canyon.

Log


 The water narrows, and with it, their path.
 The efficient aether engines of the Romancing SaGa hum, drowned out by the surge of churning waters beneath and the roar of the flame-belching mechanisms, more rockets than engines, fused to the hull of their adversary's vessel. Ivo deftly weaves the SaGa around those spurts of smoggy fire as Flechette, the femme fatale pilot for their foes, tries to shake them despite her slower craft using their own engines as weapons -- and seemingly counting on the terrain to increase her advantage. For they have all reached the eastern bank of Lake Gerisia, and the only route to take is a narrow and winding river through hilly forests.

> BGM Change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw_vCBdU_2E

 "Hang on, ladies," Ivo advises, "preferably by clinging to me."
 As dramatic as their situation sounds, the Cosmopolitan sounds calm, and the flames meant to fend them off do not ever go anywhere near the SaGa's deck. Though the river channel is indeed narrowing, the turning speed of the Mafia's boat is sluggish compared to the SaGa's darting motions. The two boats rip through the rapids, occasionally blurring by a bewildered bankside hunter or truffle gatherer accompanied by a domesticated boar or two.
 "I'm pulling up alongside -- Rui, Anna! If you see an opening, go!"
 Ivo makes his move when Flechette has turned too sharply one way, slipping along the other side to take advantage of the delay as she furiously countersteers. Their decks line up, with Zuna, the brawny second of the pair, glowering at our heroes, her tigress ears twitching, Reize still tightly crushed against her body with one strong arm. The other is cradling what appears to be an oar.
 As for the shadowcat, it long ago hopped over to the SaGa, being the smoother side, and is casually snoozing on the prow, clearly deciding its job is done for the day.

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20-2>=14.
Comment: CON Save vs Sea Sickness
Roll(s): 12. Total result is 10. This is a failure (by 4).

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: DYNAMIC ENTRY!
Roll(s): 4. Total result is 4. This is a failure (by 6).


  The chase is underway. Earlier, Reize had wondered how he got into this mess. He was suddenly grabbed and manhandled by a very buff tigress. This left him vulnerable and struggling to get free.

 This brings the situation that went from 'bad' to 'worse' as Reize is currently in the worst element: traveling by boat. As his face continues to turn green as the woman is crushing him with her body.

 HURRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!

 Goodbye lunch.

 Hope Zuna is quick enough to keep his head to the water. Otherwise, it'llbe a bad day for her.
 

Ivo Galvan rolls 1d20+2>=10.
Comment: Zuna: Dexterity save against Reize's seasickness
Roll(s): 15. Total result is 17. This is a success (by 7).

Ruidosa La Crima jumps aboard the other ship and then quickly slips across deck and she goes flying in the air, landing onto her butt. She crawls up to her feet and frowns hard as she stamps her foot. "Hey. That's my boyfriend and faiance!" she says angrily as she calls forth dark fire and starts trying to light the deck of the ship on fire as she gets more ridiculously angry about things.

"Should we help?" asks Tranquila as she remains clung to Ivo, because this is more harrowing than collecting strange trinkets and selling then.

La Crima, still sipping tea, shakes her head. "Ruidosa can handle this herself."

"I HATE YOU ALL!" calls out Ruidosa among flames around herself.

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Light my fire, etc.
Roll(s): 2. Total result is 2. This is a failure (by 8).

  • Character: Daiby
  • 10 months ago


"Oh, congratulations," Daiby tells Ruidosa. After she had gotten on the ship along with a huge number of snakes, who have now mostly attached themselves to pieces of loose piping and so forth, but had taken some arrangement.

Well, it's really more of a calling across the deck. She looks at the others, the wind blowing charmingly in her hair. "I've never actually been in a high speed sea chase before!" Looking back towards the towering tigress who is holding Reize fast, she calls out, "Give him back! They need him!"


 Ivo valiantly attempts to keep the SaGa gliding alongside the Catgirl Mafia's Mafiamobile for as long as possible, but the bend of the river and Flechette's efforts necessarily limit how long he can manage it. At the very least, Ruidosa is able to board, albeit with some difficulty. But when Reize reaches his own limit, as it were, Zuna reacts reflexively to aim him out over the deck -- and in the general direction of the Romancing SaGa.
 "How uncouth," Ivo murmurs, briefly covering Tranquila's eyes.
 Fortunately, Reize's trajectory cannot actually reach his allies' ship, but it seems as though Zuna, with this and her oar, is something of an improvizer.
 "Zuna!" Flechette calls. "Don't let that girl's fire near--"
 Ruidosa's justified fury results in a rather uncontrolled dark blaze upon the deck, one which approaches the crude combustion engines.
 *BOOM*
 One of them blows its top, whatever is inside -- clearly not distilled aether -- eminently flammable, and sending the whole ship spinning widely. Ivo quickly accelerates, all the better for Daiby's gloriously billowing hair, to evade what is now a rotating circle of hellfire as the remaining engine on the Catgirl Mafia's boat continues spurting fire, like some sort of fantastical death trap.
 As Reize is treated to the vessel he is on now spinning in circles constantly, Zuna decides to help by whipping off the tiger hide she dons as a cloak and using it to try to smother the flames that are spreading on the deck with big wallops. Her outfit beneath is mostly a strappy sort of harness, against which she continues to try to squeeze their poor leader.
 "Get out of there!" Ivo tries to shout over the wind, now ahead of them. "They won't be able to stop even if they wanted to! And up ahead--!"
 At first, it was the reason for his confidence. There's no escape up ahead. For this river leads only to the fabled Twilight Canyon that divides Granse from Verdios, the home of legendary monsters and beasts, and a great waterfall that descends into it. There would be no escape for any conventional river craft there. But if one has lost control of their craft, that point is moot.

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20-4>=15.
Comment: Con Save-- EVEN WORSE
Roll(s): 12. Total result is 8. This is a failure (by 7).

Ivo Galvan rolls 1d20-2>=10.
Comment: Zuna: Dexterity check vs Reize but currently distracted
Roll(s): 7. Total result is 5. This is a failure (by 5).

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Flailing for Reize! >.<
Roll(s): 17. Total result is 17. This is a success (by 7).

Tranquila has her eyes covered and can't see Reize lose it everywhere but that's okay, she huffs a little and closes her eyes dreamily. She's liking this adventure a touch too much.

La Crima is happily sipping tea, despite the bumpiness and when an engine explodes her eyes open and she looks at it. "Ah." she says. "I remember when..."

"MOM NOT STORYTIME RIGHT NOW!" both sisters say in unison sonehow, as Ruidosa makes a grab for Reize, trying to grab for an arm or leg, any part he can get, barf be dammned!


  This is not Reize's better days. Considering that it had been spent being manhandled and being out in the sea...

 Reize wants the group to find land. Please, let there be land...!

 He is hunched over against the railing of the dock, trying to hold his lunch. And of course, he's failing spantacularly. Also, the woman is squeezing the boy. He is slowly losing breath, trying not to fall unconscious.

 Struggling during the wriggling, he reaches into his satchel to procure a small object and promptly drops it. It is a small orb that slowly edges to be in front of Zuna. Reize closes his eyes as he tries to keep his last breath. He can hear Rui...

 That orb then launches a massive flash.

  Through his ounce of strength, he gives a message through his bond with Ruidosa, considering that he can hear her in proximity.

  "Close eyes."
 

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Flash Bomb
Roll(s): 10. Total result is 10. This is a success (by 0).

  • Character: Daiby
  • 10 months ago


All of the explosions and chaos on the 'enemy' ship make Daiby look with interest even as the lakeside air breezes through her long dark hair, letting it spread out in a glorious feminine cascade as she tilts her body back just a little. She does this stuff naturally. This is the result of going to Cosmopolis finishing schools.

BOOM!

"They're going in circles," Daiby observes, even as she shades her eyes, peering towards the approaching canyon. "Oooh, and they're going towards the falls! That's going to do poorly for them." She looks towards Ivo. "They're getting awfully close to the canyon, aren't they?" And so, too, are they.

MEANWHILE:

As Reize struggles with his satchel, he can see a green snake fall out of it. The snake stares at him intently, with an intention to do something like a wink. Of course, snakes can't wink, so it's the thought that counts. During the flash, this little guy begins slithering off.

And after the flash --

The snake tries to bite Zuna in the ankle!! This little fellow in particular puts out an anesthetic toxin, intended to disable the struggling of prey. Fortunately, Zuna is doubtless too big to be devoured by a snake the size of a three-foot-long strip of bubblegum, but that's the snake's business not yours.

  • Character: Daiby
  • 10 months ago

Daiby rolls 1d20+0>=10.
Comment: Now you know why this RPG had a really intricate poison system.
Roll(s): 1. Total result is 1. This is a failure (by 9).


 Despite their predicament, Ivo seems committed to steering with one hand this entire time, just so he can keep one arm around the swooning Tranquila the entire time. As ever, he has his priorities straight.
 "I'm *most* interested your story, my Lady-- whoa!"
 A piercing flash of light behind them interrupts Ivo's shameless flattery of the mother of the girl he's currently embracing. Zuna flinches back, instinctively springing into the air like a cat who has seen a cucumber, releasing the debilitated Reize in the process and leaving him to the heroic Ruidosa, his savior. They have escaped their enemy's literal clutches. But a serious problem remains.
 "But how to approach..."
 The Catgirl Mafia vessel is still spinning wildly and spewing flame in every direction. Even if Ruidosa were able to take flight and bear Reize with her, she would have to contend with a veritable wall of fire, and any mistake could mean plunging into the churning rapids below them. Though not an impossible feat, the stakes are very high.
 "Flechette!" Ivo tries to shout over the gale-force winds. "This isn't worth it anymore! Shut down your remaining engine before you reach the falls--!"
 The heretofore elegant leader of their foes seems to hear, biting her lower lip with a sharp incisor, her charming spectacles agleam with the light of the flames dancing about the deck. As confident as she was before, she might be hesitating.
 "Zuna, what in the name of-- sacre bleu!!!!"
 At least until she sees the snake.
 For you see: when Zuna sprung into the air, she narrowly evaded the snake nipping at her heels, drawing Flechette's annoyed eye in the process. And, of course, when cats leap away from cucumbers, it is because they mistake them for snakes. Flechette, in the midst of seemingly scolding Zuna, immediately springs into the air as well, her silver hair seeming to stand on end. In the process, she knocks into the steering wheel she had been managing thus far, causing it to spin ever more wildly, risking throwing Reize and Ruidosa into a heap.
 The enemy ship is spinning even faster, and the roar of the falls is within earshot now, even over the sound of the remaining engine.

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: FLAP FLAP FLAP FLAP?
Roll(s): 9. Total result is 9. This is a failure (by 1).

Ruidosa La Crima has Reize! There's a 'you have obtained an item' jingle and Ruidosa is now carrying Reize in a princess carry. She gasps and has to content with the ship spinning out of control towards the falls. That's dangerous! So instead, she grows bat wings and starts flapping away, trying to escape off the boat. "little snake, come onnn." she begs to Daiby's little friend before she tries to take off and escape off the boat.

Really, Ruidosa will settle for splashing up stream which she ''tries'' to do and just get off the boat, either back to the Romancing Saga or to the nearby land if possible.

She'll settle for 'not on this boat'.

Tranquila and La Crima watch with bated breath. "You can do it, Ruidosa!" says Tranquila from Ivo's side. "Yes, you can do it." says La Crima!


  Things look up for Reize despite of their situation. Reize is starting to become more aware of his surroundings now that the feeling of his stomach is no longer tied in knots. Well, he spoke too soon. He loses that coherency as his eyes roll to the back of his head and drool runs down the side of his lips. This is currently an awkward situation to where Ruidosa has him in the princess carry.

 His hero! <3

 With Ruidosa preparing to flap away, he rests his head against her arms. In his own way, he is glad that his fiancee has him.

 "Thaaannnk gooodnesss..." His eyes are swirling.

 It'll be better when they hit land.

 Nevermind the fact that the boat is approaching the canyon.
 


 Ivo's eyes widen at Ruidosa's valiant display, bat wings carrying her effortfully out of the raging flames and dizzying spin, Reize in her embrace. Incredibly, they have both escaped the inferno and its chaos. But to do all that and to close the gap between two speeding boats could be too much.
 "Pardon me, gorgeous," Ivo says firmly as he finally removes his hand from Tranquila to take the wheel with both. "It's for a good cause."
 He really should have been steering properly this whole time, though.

> BGM Change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF3nYZbaJ8M

 The vampire girl's own strength and skill has carried her halfway between their surging ships already, but the risk of faltering along the way and plunging to the rapids below seems great. If there is a chance she will not make it to the SaGa, then, the SaGa must come to her. Shifting two levers, Ivo manipulates the magitech engines to smoothly pivot the speedboat so that it faces toward the Catgirl Mafia vessel and away from the waterfall they are swift approaching. Then gunning the engines on a curve, he aims for the crest of a wave that the spinning Mafia boat is churning up.
 "After our airborne assault on Aurita Meloda," he remarks over the frenzy, referencing the last big jump the SaGa took, "I made a slight modification to assist--!"
 And as he sends the SaGa surging, a sudden tempestuous wind boosts them up, a hundred wind elespheres shattering at once beneath the hull to propel them into a smoother and more powerful leap. Their magitech speedboat takes to the air, narrowly gliding *over* the spinning Catgirl Mafia ship as it continues to belch flame, and giving Ruidosa the opportunity to alight safely upon the SaGa's deck, a certain helpful small snake safely in tow, probably clinging to Reize's long flapping scarf.
 The SaGa lands back upon the water with a smoothness only possible with the assistance of the wind beneath. "Well, friends," Ivo begins in a conversational tone, I have good news and bad news. The good news is--"

> The Urgent Quest, "Rescue Reize from the Catgirl Mafia," is complete!

 "However--"

> A new Urgent Quest, "Survive the Twilight Canyon," has begun!

 The Catgirl Mafia vessel spirals off of the edge of the waterfall, into the awaiting void. But it seems that another remote trigger, like the one that brought the vessel to them in the first place during their Reizenapping, has been in place. For both their engines, functional and seemingly nonfunctional, surge with lava-red heat and emit gouts of fire even beyond what they have shown thus far, sending their ship soaring through the air like a rocket and down and through the canyon.
 "I do hope," Ivo has time to add, "you all enjoyed that flight."
 Because, lacking any safe means of grounding their ship, the SaGa has no choice but to follow its fellow off of the waterfall. The wind magic that continues to cushion its hull sends it drifting like a feather, following their rocketing foes down into a canyon painted the stirring hues of twilight, its rocky face orange and umber descending into deep purple as though painted by the ancient minerals within. Once slumbering many-headed wyvern and strange armor-hide apes peer from pockets in the canyon wall or scraggly branches at the airborne intruders as they gradually descend to the river far below.
 "What a lovely view, yes?" Ivo remarks, his good cheer ever so slightly strained.

> Warning! The denizens of this area are of significant higher level than the party!

Ruidosa La Crima has rescued her beau! She's a hero!

For like 3 minutes because the boat goes tumbling into the canyon and ughs a little as she rocks to the ground. Tranquila peers out at the various peeking monsters from the shadows and kind of sidles up to Ivo harder. Yeah she's scared.

Ruidosa sits up and sees skulls over all the monsters head before shaking her vision. "Oh. I see." she says. "We're boned."

Lady La Crima sees no skulls. She might be appropriately leveled for this area. She sips her tea. "Hrm."


  The young explorer is in an exhausted state, mostly from the seasickness taking toll on him and losing his breath from earlier. He does slowly start to breathe, looking up to see that Ruidosa is carrying him in her arms. He just has a dazed look on his face.

 "Hee... Rui..." He weakly musters.

 The good thing is that the group rejoin with the Romancing SaGa. Reize no longer has to worry about being in the clutches of the tigress who kidnapped him earlier.

 After they do make their landing, Reize starts to come to and plant his feet on the earth.

 There is a pause when he gazes at the sky. His eyes widen in awe as he can see the splendor of the surrounding area.

 If one was to look up at the sky within the Twilight Canyon, they will see a blend of colors, partially like a rainbow. However, the waves appear more like a shimmering aurora.

 "Ah..."

 He then looks around to see the monsters, frowning slightly at the sight of the creatures. While he can't get a good look at them, there is a very ominous aura.

 "... We should leave here as soon as possible." On one hand, he would like to see more of this place. However, there is a feeling that's nagging at him that they won't survive long.
 


 "Incredible," Ivo breathes, looking up at the aurora that is manifesting in the sky above them. "I've heard the tales, of course, but to see it in person-- I wonder if it is a localized weather effect, or a product of the aetheric concentration in the minerals--"
 His chatter, possible only while the Romancing SaGa drifts like folded paper through the air thanks to the for-now enduring effects of the wind elespheres secretly packed beneath, is interrupted by the sound of a piercing screech. A many-headed wyvern, its scales a dark rainbow as though a sinister reflection of the aurora above, has descended with terrifying swiftness upon the Catgirl Mafia's vessel. Its talons clench upon the still-flaming hull, its multiple mouths belching slime and acid.
 "They clearly had a plan or two," Ivo murmurs, "but perhaps they should have made more for a place like this."
 But then the catgirls' engines glow from red-hot to white, and a shadow can be seen nimbly leaping as their entire ship explodes, sending the wyvern shrieking and plummeting to the depths, falling to the river below. An enormous eel with bizarre horns ridging its back, all crackling with lightning, can be seen emerging from the water to seize the fallen wyvern and drag it below.
 "Maybe," he then adds quieter, looking down, "I should speak for myself..."
 That shadow, momentarily blotted out by the flames, reveals itself to be Zuna, with Flechette draped sinuously over her back. The barbarian's extraordinarily powerful leap sends the two catgirls hurtling toward the SaGa, Ivo doing what little he can to maneuver midair and ensure that their erstwhile enemies can alight upon the deck as well. The tigress woman sinks to her haunches, Flechette disembarking, so to speak, with a click of her impractical high heels.
 "You're pretty good," Zuna says to Ruidosa, like a proper midboss.
 But Flechette seems to have entirely different concerns. "Ombre!? Where is Ombre!? Oh-- there!" she coos, seeing the shadowcat still relaxing on the prow of the SaGa, as it has been this whole time. "Of course, you infiltrated their ranks-- how cunning!"
 As they slowly decsend into deadly danger together, the shadowcat yawns.