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Legend of the Hidden Temple

Scene details

Setting: Amidst the detritus of a monkey community's stash of pilfered items, our heroes discover clues to the location of a ruined temple deeper within Oradia's jungle. There, unexpected hints at the secret past of Oradia's royal family awaits... and, perhaps, the origins of Ankhialean resentments.

Log


 Ivo didn't know what he expected to find in a monkey community's treetop stash of pilfered items, but it wasn't what he now holds in his hands: the map that has led the party here, deeper in the dense Oradian jungle, to the mouth of a ruined stone temple, its entrance like the unhinged jaws of a great snake.
 "The notes call it the Serpent's Den," the Cosmopolitan says, scrutinizing the workmanship of one hand-chiseled fang upon its threshold, weathered by what must be the passage of centuries yet nevertheless intact, "and I can already see why."
 Besides the recovered Carnelian Bracers, most of what the monkeys possessed was, let's say, another monkey's treasure. Valueless baubles, bits of thread, stolen buckles, and other inscrutable accoutrements dominated the collection. Yet buried within the midden was found an old leather pack, so worn as to seem previously digested, a single golden pin embossed with the emblem of the Vanguards gleaming upon it, doubtless having attracted the primates who acquired it. Though most of what it contained had been lost or rotted away, within a bone scroll case was preserved notes written in a dense and inscrutable shorthand and the sketch of a map.
 "I regret that I'm unable to translate more of what our unfortunate explorer enscribed," he continues, gazing into the shadows of the entrance, for the moment seeing little. "But they mention ancient traps that yet functioned. Though these ruins seem older than the invention of clockwork, whatever this cult was, its followers had an interest in mechanisms built to endure... fascinating."
 There is no resemblance to the style or interests of the fire-worshipping Ankhialeans, so this adventure may be a detour from their quest. Then again, unexpected and serendipitous confluences might lie around any corner...

Ruidosa La Crima is laying there in a daze on the forest ground. "Do not fear monkeys, you only taste good with ketchup." she insists weakly as she lays her hands on her poor stomach. Do not eat Monkeys anymore. This is the lesson learned today.

"Hey what's that." she asks, as Ivo (or whoever) examines the leather pack.

"...huh..."

"Maybe we can do this one extra adventure. As a treat." she says.



 Amongst the gathered is the ever reliable(?) leader, Reize Seatlan. The young explorer looks ahead towards the entrance of the ruined stone temple. His eyes widen with a curious gaze, tilting his head as he recognizes the snake-like look to it.

 "...Having Daiby here would be ideal." Reize notes.

 He looks back at Ivo as he straightens his Carnelian Bracers, feeling pretty good about having his accessories back. After all, it's one of the few treasures that he's found since arriving here. The only thing that'll make this better is a new hookshot.

 He perks at Ruidosa, "Really?! One more adventure?!" He gives a happy chirp. "Well then, let's figure out what this ruin appears to be!" He grins at both Ivo and Ruidosa. Even if it's a detour, an adventure is an adventure!

 "After all, we have a new place to explore!"


 Ivo sighs, rather wistfully, at Reize's mention of Daiby.
 "I know. I'm sorry to say that her absence is my responsibility..."
 PREVIOUSLY
 CHIBI IVO: Daiby! Since we're in search of the Ankhialeans, and one of our only clues is their beadwork, do you think you could focus on finding more samples?
 CHIBI DAIBY: Shopping Quest? Say no more!
 CHIBI IVO: But make sure you're available for adventures--
 CHIBI DAIBY: Oooh, look at this! It's nothing but beads! I'll try it on!
 CHIBI IVO: --sorry, what were we talking about?
 NOW
 "...let's bring her back something she'd enjoy."
 Is Ivo suggesting they capture a snake?
 "Onward, friends!"
 The shadow of the temple is blessedly cool, providing a respite from the heat and humidity of the jungle, as they enter, but the sense of a reprieve is surely deceptive. The stone, dripping with water and covered in moss and sprouting ferns, is revealed to be in rustic disrepair as Ivo cracks a red elesphere to help provide an aether-fueled luminesence. As he steps carefully, defaulting to letting the nimble and courageous Reize take the lead if he should choose, he glances over his shoulder to Ruidosa.
 "Are you alright, Rui? Stomach ache?" How unusual, for Reize to be active while Rui is incapacitated, rather than the inverse. "We have some herbs for that, if you'd like."
 It might be prudent to stay away from herbs for now.

Dodododododododododdo LEGENDS. OF THE HIDDEN. TEMPLE. WITH YOUR HOST. KIRK FOG.
The camera focuses on a skeleton overgrown with ferns rotting away.

Oh. Sorry Kirk.

Ruidosa La Crima ows. "My tummy will be fine without your ridiculous herbal remedies that make people go loco!" she says. She looks into the temple and can see just fine without the light. Because vampire. But that doesn't solve the problem for the others. She huhs. "I don't like this." she says as she mutters.

She can't see traps. And those ones in the sewers we're pretty good.

Ivo Galvan rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Does Kirk Fog's corpse have any useful loot?
Roll(s): 6. Total result is 6. This is a failure (by 4).



 There is a blink from Reize at Ruidosa's remark about the herbal remedies. "Ooi! Those herbal remedies helped out!" Reize takes a pause and he thinks, "...I think." Reize doesn't remember, given the course of going loopy and moments of blackout.

 Nevertheless, they do make their way the temple, he Reize feels the cool air. There is that refreshing respite from the heat. It's humid. "Hm." The boy takes a hold of a torch and he moves ahead of Ivo and Ruidosa, lighting the torch to act as their guide.

 "Now we have to be mindful of the traps here." Reize taking point to actively try to spot any traps around.

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20.
Comment: Spot Check for Traps
Roll(s): 14. Total result is 14.


 Ivo, brushing aside swaying vines that have pierced through gaps in the mortar and dangle from the ceiling, carefully approaches the skeleton that Rui has identified, kneeling down to search the vicinity, finding nothing. Perhaps all that remained has rotted away. Or maybe he had nothing to begin with, after the cancellation of his show.
 "Hmm..."
 What the curious Cosmopolitan does find, however, he lifts into the light: a chipped ancient arrowhead, lost amidst the moldering rib cage that remains.
 "Of historical relevance, at least," Ivo says to himself. "But why here, right by this poor fellow?"
 Reize's keen perception may have already learned the answer: suspicious gaps in the wall, evenly spaced, suggest an arrow trap activated by a pressure plate. Our heroes should be able to identify and avoid it without too much trouble... though if they are curious about what manner of mechanisms this ancient civilizations could create, they might try to disarm it and investigate further. That said, the chamber that lies beyond this hallway might possess more interesting secrets for enterprising adventurers.

"Oh an arrow trap this close in? They really don't want anyone in this temple." she said bluntly as she tiptoes past the pressure plate, and looks to Reize. "Oh. Reize honey. You're just. Wrong." she says in regards to the herbs. She refuses to partake in such goofy situations and actions or see other Ivo herself. She might burnheel them.

Regardless, she looks down the hallway, with her night vision and squints. There's a chamber down there.

But the hallway seems to be a thousand miles long to her what with all the potential traps. She carefully tiptoes, looking around carefully, choosing to go first.

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Trap Activation? Fail=Yes.
Roll(s): 6. Total result is 6. This is a failure (by 4).



 "Ivo, Ruidosa, there are a few traps immediately awaiting us." The explorer tenses up as he readies his boomerangs. He gestures his boomerangs towards the walls. The gaps, evenly spaced, are already indications of the pressure-plated traps.

 "---Ruidosa!"

 His eyes widen as Ruidosa activates the first trap. The boy immediately rushes forward her and he reaches for her shoulder, pulling her back from the trajectory of the incoming trap. Instead, he shifts the target over towards him. He brings his boomerang over to his back while the other in front, positioning the crystallized surface over to where it should deflect the piercing blade away.

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20.
Comment: Is this high enough to not activate another trap via Reize Luck?
Roll(s): 2. Total result is 2.

Ivo Galvan rolls 1d20+2>=10.
Comment: Secret Technique: let the others go first (gains +1 for each companion to trigger a trap before him)
Roll(s): 12. Total result is 14. This is a success (by 4).


 Ivo, all too aware that he is the least agile of the party currently present, for all his manual dexterity, elects to follow the others at a slight distance. He was concluding his examination of Kent Fog (RIP) as the others advanced, too, but that was by design, given his more patient approach.
 Thus, as Ruidosa (RIP) triggers the first pressure plate to activate the firing of ancient arrows and Reize (RIP) tries to protect her only to step right onto a second trap, into the path of which he has hopefully not pulled the fiancee he was seeking to protect, Ivo can be seen in the background of all this chaos slowly but surely sidling along the side of the wall, his expression completely deadpan.
 Good luck, friends.

Ruidosa gets an arrow in the side even as Reize tries to deflect it and ow, she hits the floor and writhes a little in pain as she huffs and grips it and yanks it out, and being undead means there isn't a bloody mess to worry about. Reize may not be so lucky so her attention is now on Reize as she tries to help him with his own arrow. She tries not to make things worse and carefully, and expertly... tries to pull the arrow out the way it came in before Reize can worry about it too much.

Does she notice Ivo being a jerk and doing the jerk manuever? Not right now. Or if she sees it in her side eye, she isn't worrying about it yet.

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10-3.
Comment: Does she see Ivo?
Roll(s): 19. Total result is True. This is a success (by 2).

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Can she help Reize? D:
Roll(s): 14. Total result is 14. This is a success (by 4).

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20>=12.
Comment: Avoiding the leftover arrows (besides the ones that Ruidosa managed to pull away)
Roll(s): 1. Total result is 1. This is a failure (by 11).



 There is a bit of a grimace as he sees that Ruidosa was still struck with the arrow despite his best attempt. The silver lining is that she did not take the worse of the damage. That's good.

 *Click*

 "... Ah?"

 That's bad. One good deed doesn't go unpunished.

 It's evident as his antenna hair droops, knowing that an ill-fated arrow awaits him. His eyes widen in shock as a barrage of arrows, ten-fold, fire his way. "Gah!" Luckily, Ruidosa is able to pull a few of the arrows out of his trajectory.

 Reize calls out towards Ruidosa and Ivo, "We need to cross to the other sid---"

 Oh, why was there a flash?

 ...

 The result of the situation is that there are lots of arrows that flung all at Reize, those that caught him do not piece him. Instead, there is a Reize shaped outline as to where all of the arrows have caught him, pinning him to the wall.

 "..."

 He hangs his head low, comical trail of tears pouring. "Deja vu."

Ivo Galvan rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Ivo has been noticed. But did he have a master plan all along?
Roll(s): 16. Total result is 16. This is a success (by 6).


 Slowly but surely, Ivo makes his way to the far side of the hall. But does he abandon his friends to their fates entirely? Of course not. He was definitely always planning on helping them, and hasn't stopped just because he made awkward eye contact with Ruidosa while she was being shot with an arrow.
 "If the pressure mechanism is distributed like so, then..."
 He's guessing, more than anything, but every once in a while, Ivo's guesses turn out well. Turning away from his struggling friends briefly, he peers into one of the holes, rather bold considering that an arrow will greet his eye if he shifts his weight in the wrong direction. Confirming what he believes to be the master mechanism of this impressively durable but still, by contemporary standards, rudimentary trap, the magitechnician deftly thumbs a lightning-aspected elesphere, the product of their research into Kernunnos's Heavenly Crowned Beetle, through the hole and, with a faint flash emerging from it, shortcircuits the rest of the traps, the pulse of energy knocking them askew in a sort of domino effect.
 "We're clear!"
 He looks over his shoulder with a satisfied grin, only to be greeted by the sight of Reize pinned to the wall with a veritable forest of arrows. Ivo is silent for a beat, then two.
 "You collected a lot!" he praises his friend. "Nice work."

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10+1.
Comment: Shinkick Ivo, +1 for burnheels equipped.
Roll(s): 10. Total result is True. This is a success (by 0).

Ruidosa La Crima huffs and walks over and starts unpinning Reize from the wall, digging arrows out from the wall and snapping arrow shafts into her hands before she turns to Ivo and walks over and says. "Goodwork." she says begrudingly.

Then she starts kicking the living shit out of his shins. "AND IF YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN I'LL SEND YOU INTO TRACTION THERAPY!" she yells as she stops and huffs and walks into the next chamber haughtily.



 The deactivation of the traps bring great relief. ...Or would if it wasn't for the fact that Reize was already pinned to the wall.

 Ruidosa working to unpinning him brings some support, "Thanks, Rui!" He brightens, then he looks over towards her and Ivo's interaction.

 ...Oh boy. The shinkicking again.

  Reize offers Ivo a faint smile, "...Good job finding the source of the trap!" He looks ahead at the next chamber, "...We press forward!" He pulls the last arrow from his arm and he marches ahead.


 "Thank yaaargh!"
 So does Ivo reply as, now hopping awkwardly on one foot, he endeavors to follow Rui into the next chamber. It is rather expansive, an impressive feat of architecture given the era in which it was likely made, and branches into another, darker passageway, rather more forbidding than the trapped one they have already navigaed.
 "I don't think *I'm* the one who needs *therapy*..."
 Muttering to himself perhaps inadvisably as he continues to hop along, mustering what dignity he can under the circumstances, Ivo, rather than delve further into the branching passage, raises the cracked elesphere in his hand and approaches the far wall of the chamber they have found to regard it in the flickering light. His eyes soon widen in amazement, seeming even to forget his pain.
 "This is... incredible!"
 There, carved into the rock before them, is the remnants of a mural depicting, it seems, a sequence of events from left to right. Slowly, Ivo moves the light, revealing what remains. A woman in what appears to be a horned headdress speaks to a crowd of kneeling humans. Next, a giant bat, or oversized representation of a bat, flies above an enormous snake. Finally, what seems to be a different group of people have kindled a bonfire, and the first group are moving away, accompanied by the bat. There looks to have been a final graven image, but it has been so worn away by time that it is no longer recognizable.
 "This script... it bears some resemblance to that found upon relics in the burial grounds of Granse's great plains... it's not the same, but..."
 As his friends might try to interpret what is depicted, Ivo has knelt before the carving of the snake, brushing aside another hanging vine to get a closer look, so fascinated by the art that he shows no interest in advancing further yet, despite the lack of treasures so far.
 "Yacumama...?"
 He frowns slightly, perplexed, as he reads the unfamiliar word, wondering if he has transliterated it correctly. The vine he has brushed aside sways-- and then curls. For it is not a vine at all, but a rare Emerald Oradian, its venom so potent it is said to never leave its fangs, which adorn old jewelry possessed exclusively by the royal family. At least, that's the sort of trivia which Ivo could share, if he is not bitten within seconds by this Emerald Oradian he hasn't noticed.

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20>=20.
Comment: Intercept Snake?!
Roll(s): 11. Total result is 11. This is a failure (by 9).

Within moments, just before the snake almost lunges it's fangs into Ivo's body, she reaches out and grabs it and holds it by the back of the head. She shoves it into the old leather pouch they found the map in and shuts it. There's no +roll needed for this, this is just an automatic cutscene reaction and happens due to Ruidosa's lore of her own homeland and the fauna within. She knows that much.

She snaps. "Idiot. That was a rare Emerald Oradian." she says. "And the only reason I didn't kill it is because Diaby would hate me. Forever." she says bluntly.

She carefully takes the bag and slides it around her arm now. "The poison doesn't affect vampires. So I'll be fine if it escapes and bite's ''me''. You two aren't gonna be so lucky so let me handle it until Daiby can handle it." she says.



 The next entrance captivates Reize-- the expansive architecture is something for the boy to appreciate. He reaches to his journal to take a few notes while looking around. He continues to move around, glancing at one side and then the next. He gives a very impressive look as he gazes over to the murals.

 "Wow..."

  Reize tries to interpret the story a bit further, but instead looks towards Ivo, who recalls the same ordeal as Granse. "I wonder about the snake... This definitely feels more Daiby's expertise." He gives a thoughtful look, "Should we come back with her? ... Or remember to bring her back here, once we find out what we can hel---"

  It is then that Ivo is nearly bitten until Ruidosa catches the creature that was going to bite Ivo. It looks like Reize won't have to intercept after all. "Whew." He looks at Ruidosa, "Great save, Rui!"


 Ivo's fingers trace the outline of the script, gazing heedlessly at the serpent engraved in the stone, all too unaware of the living snake by his side.
 "I've never heard of this Yacumama... and yet... hm?"
 He startles, nearly jumping out of his own skin as he notices Rui's swift movement before he notices the snake she has caught. Ivo is startled into stillness for a moment before spotanteously breaking out in a cold sweat, the relative cool of the temple no preventive for his perspiration. He stares wide-eyed as Rui stuffs her prize away.

> Emerald Oradian acquired! ...it doesn't seem happy about it, for now.

 "Th... that might be prudent," Ivo replies to Reize, letting Rui's insult slide under the circumstances. "If we encounter any more snakes within the Serpent's Den, she could surely help us negotiate. And if we can learn anything further about this Yacumama, her expertise might benefit us in understanding whatever challenges are to come. It's strange..."
 Despite his near-death experience, the dilettante is already looking back at the graven images, perplexed.
 "The bat and the snake... are they presented as a contrast or complementary? And is the fire in the last image welcoming or threatening? If only we could see what happens next in the story... but if there are more images deeper in..."
 Clearly fascinated, Ivo could easily be convinced to continue forging onward. But a temporary withdrawal and return could be wise as well. Maybe they could stock up on some non-herbal antidotes.
 Assuming they have those around here.

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Lore Check - Ordian Folklore?
Roll(s): 2. Total result is 2. This is a failure (by 8).

Ruidosa La Crima finally gets a chance to look up at the images now that she isn't saving Ivo from a painful poison perishing. She squints a little and purses her lips. "Daiby might be best to have in this temple. We can clean up the first hall so we can return to this chamber easier, unless all the traps are indeed disabled now." she says.

She opens her mother's tome and starts looking. "Something about this story seems familiar but I feel I was told it forever and a half ago." she says. Which in vampire years could very well be before Ivo or Reize was just a twinkle in their mom's and dad's eyes.

She scans the pages for a LORE CHECK.



 Furrowing his eyebrows, Reize opens his satchel and he grabs another writing tool. He starts marking down a few things on his journal, from the depictions to even the sight of the snake observed. Thankfully, Ruidosa managed to save Ivo from the worst of the matter.

  "Looks like we'll have to come back with more preparations." He gives a cheerful smile, "Now, let's go meet Daiby!"

 ...You did close your satchel, right Reize? Right? Weelll, since you didn't, there are a few 'vines', not as dire as the Emerald Oradian, but may not be pleasant, that will make home of the satchel for a while.

 More presents for Daiby, right?


 Ivo, still hopping on one leg, seeks to move to peer over Rui's shoulder at her tome, curious as well. "Let's rest and take our time doing some thorough research, then," he says. "The story surely changed over the years, given how old this temple seems to be... but something about its contours is distinctly Oradian. I'm sure you're onto something, Rui."
 He looks over to Reize, who is in full Storyteller Mode, and smiles, noticing nothing awry about his satchel, which surely contains no surprises whatsoever now.
 "Yes, let's," he agrees. "I'm sure her... research has turned up something useful as well."
 Just don't spend all the party's funds on Daiby Outfit DLC, Ivo.