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imaginarylogs2020-08-08 08:15 pm
imaginarymods) wrote in imaginarylogs2020-08-08 08:15 pm
extra mission log 1 : the island of dancing animals
EXTRA MISSION : LOG ONE
Mission Dossier | NPC Information | Setting Information | Questions
| "Being a detective in real life isn't like it is in stories. I can't solve this one alone." |
A New Transmission.
"Hello sirs! I finally got this thing working — or it started working, I'm not sure it was me — anyway, I'm — I'm Angus McDonald! I'm a detective. S-some of you know me, you worked together to help me solve a mystery and I — I need your help again.Something's missing, um, in my head. Memories. I know I should know some things, but when I reach for them they're gone. There's a Relic on this island, I know that much, but I don't know where or what it is. I don't know where the Director is, or the Bureau, and I don't know where the Hunger is but I know — I know it's out there. It's close. It's coming.
If you can hear me, if you can help me, please come find me. I know we can figure this out, but being a detective in real life isn't like it is in stories. I can't solve this one alone."
The Island of Dancing Animals.
The island of Baisla has been hospitable to you Reclaimers for the past few weeks, its Animalian hosts eager to share knowledge, housing, food, and work with your seemingly-shipwrecked souls. The menagerie wastes no time introducing Reclaimers (and, for some reason, a few Lyrabar socialites and pirates) to their vibrant music, energetic dancing, enhanced technomancy, and magical connection with the runestone beasts of the southern ruins. Though there has been no sign of any member of the Bureau of Balance while you've been here (and no one to brief you on a mission, of course), a light appears in the form of some direction from one Angus McDonald.
The mysteries don't stop with you, either. As beautiful as this island is, there are certain... oddities.... such as the shimmering barrier that surrounds the water at all times, keeping everyone in. Or the Gilded Wall, rumored to hold back a terrible evil.... or the glitches that seem to keep cropping up. It seems every moment spent here is accompanied by a newer, fresh mystery. Some questions loom more than others, though: Will your investigations uncover the secrets behind this island and your — and Angus's — lost memories? Or will your search for the last Relic leave you marooned?
G-G-G-Glitching
By now you've noticed those strange glitch-like images all around you on the island; fruits that don't quite "load" correctly and instead display fruit-shaped static; otherwise-ordinary-looking but immaterial trees and lampposts with miscolored squares and rectangles pieced out of them; even natural stone walls that can't be climbed as they display nothing but what appears to be a warped, miscolored stone-texture; and so on.
The more adventurous Animalians have discovered that using different path actions can fix these glitches (or worsen them, depending). They don't have much other intel on them, but tampering with the glitches seen around the island may lead to some.... interesting outcomes... Success will certainly earn the gratitude of the Animalians, who would really like their island to not look like a heat-damaged VHS tape.
A Wall of Gold
Some of you may have encountered the consecrated Gilded Wall and its strange magic-dampening properties as you've gotten the lay of the land. It's a pretty noticeable landmark, both opulent and foreboding. The Animalians have discouraged you from getting too close, referring only vaguely to its necessity in keeping the residents of Baisla safe. Some of them don't seem to want to talk about it, in the sense that speaking of evil gives the evil power. Some of them, though, just don't understand the history well enough to explain it.
But there is someone on the island who understands the history, because he was there to see it: Elder Marinero, who the Animalians may eventually point you towards if you're particularly persistent in asking after the Gilded Wall. However, if you try to ask him about it in Common, you may be out of luck; he only speaks Animalian! Magic and old-fashioned studying will certainly be a boon in communications with this stubborn old bat. If the Elder is a bust, it's possible to get past the fussy Animalians to investigate the Gilded Wall yourself. Try to test your magic by the wall again, and you'll find that it's working now. Surely someone can figure out what's got the islanders so spooked about this great golden landmark.
A History in Ruins
On the other hand, maybe the Strange Ruins will have a hint on your current predicament. They're a wonderful experience for the academically-inclined, regardless of your interest (or lack thereof) in the Gilded Wall. Animalian archaeologists and tourists from Lyrabar are a common sight at the Strange Ruins, both groups often being guided by Professor Jerry or his assistant, Kipper. Prof. Jerry explains that these ruins are what Animalians have based their practice of magic on for all of recorded history; they're much older than even Elder Marinero! You can enjoy the sights with the tourists or lend a hand to the archaeologists--including Angus, whose sharp detective instincts have led him to the murals in these ruins. He doesn't know why, but these images call to him. He's certain they have something to do with his missing memory and the location of the Relic! Perhaps deciphering some of these images will help him solve this mystery. Or at least (re)teach you some pretty cool path actions!
Runestone Rubble
If you want old stuff that's less academic, check out the Coliseum. You can watch all kinds of cool fights here--or participate in them! Of note are the large, animal-like creatures made of glowing stone, which feature in many of the challenges. They say the eccentric magpie K.V. of K.V. Labs is the resident expert on these beasts, as well as the rest of the magitech on Baisla. It might be worth paying the lab a visit if you're curious about the nuts and bolts of it all--but if the Coliseum is your kind of place, you're probably more interested in punching than studying!
Thankfully, you're allowed to do that. Respected Baisla warriors and fearsome magitech beasts are happy to meet you in battle to test your mettle. You can fight your fellow Reclaimers here too, for fun and bragging rights. Victors are rewarded with a variety of prizes, though you never know what you're going to get. And the experience of battle is its own reward, paying dividends in keeping your mind and body sharp. Maybe you'll even learn something about the beasts or gain some loyal fans with your performance in the fights. There are three potential routes you can take: fighting your fellow Reclaimers for some clout, fighting the island's elite Animalian warriors for a variety of rewards, and the most difficult (but exciting) battles of all: taking on the magitech beasts and their handlers, something even most respected Baisla warriors fall short of accomplishing. The rules of the Coliseum are as follows:1.) Show respect and good sportsmanship.
2.) Only those signed up may fight--no outside help once the battle has begun.
3.) Nonlethal bouts only. A victor is declared once surrender or incapacitation occurs.
Island Hospitality.
Cafe Calamari
The Bureau of Balance is missing, which includes Bender! How will you ever get your magical grub on?
At Café Calamari, of course! For some reason, Chef Miso Fou is here smack dab in a saltwater lake in the middle of the island. His cute little swim-up tiki bar caters to the Reclaimers especially with a very familiar menu, as well as a few new courses and the exciting potential of new dishes, should you request them! The aesthetic really seems to vibe with the tourists that flock to it, though the food is not always to everyone's taste.
...But something's a bit strange there, or rather, someone. A goose named Ronaldo paces around the area trying to get the attention of newcomers and convince them of weirdo conspiracy theories about the lake under Miso Fou's bar!! He carries around crayon drawings of otherwise-normal-looking jellyfish with pictures projected in their domes, but most Animalians and tourists alike pay Ronaldo no mind. He's well-known for his... unorthodox ramblings. Could there really be something to his suspicions? The locals certainly don't think so!
Boardwalk Boogie
Looking for supplies, food, or perhaps even a job? Head down to the Brightway Boardwalk for just that! Night and day, the island's economic hub is always at least simmering with excitement, if not bubbling over! Especially with all these tourists and new folk around to entertain. Located just behind most of the seaside cabanas, the Brightway Boardwalk is more than just a bunch of studios, businesses, and fish markets; it also hosts the grounds for the seasonal Dance Competition.
The Boardwalk Boogie Band plays nearly every day at the Boardwalk Square, where one can usually find the island's mayor-of-sorts, a cow named Lola. A tall Astrologian in a starry cape, she makes a cutting figure... if not elusive. Lola might actually be a bit hard to get a hold of, what with a new Dance Competition coming up. If you manage to stop her, she'll simply urge you to join in; after all, non-locals have a place in the competition as well! Dance teams are limited to 3 people for out-of-island entries. You have plenty of time to practice before the big Boardwalk Boogie night, which starts at sunset and ends at sunrise. It seems like Boogie Night is all the island can talk about and studios are even offering free classes lately. Why not jump in and learn to dance?
...Unless you aren't interested, of course. That's just fine! The boardwalk connects to the harbor, where Captain Baxley and his mixed-bag crew pull in the island's share of fish every day. They seem a bit disoriented by being unable to sail out as far as they usually do, but the fishing fare near the shore is just as well. They'll certainly put you to work if you seem bored or they need the help! The fish market caters to early risers and the sea-side taverns cater to late sleepers. Here is where you'll find experts in a wider variety of paths, and even a few fox Vulpish who might be willing to train with a Reclaimer or two.
Scenic Spots
If you're still looking for more places to hit up, there's still quite the array of areas! Academics can refresh their path actions or read up on Baisla at the Roswell Center, a hospital up north that also hosts a pretty good library and all sorts of studies. Just to the west of the center is the scenic natural resort Las Cascadas, or the Cascades. Though most of this smaller island is simply a lush, naturally-organized paradise perfect for relaxing and hanging with platypuses, the highest areas of the Cascades also provide a vantage point where the curious can see the dark mist past the Gilded Wall.
For the more hunting-and-monster-fighting-oriented explorer, the Foggy Forest on the mainland is home to huntable animals and animal hybrids such as frog-squirrels and raccoon-crows. Once you deal with the glitches, the forest also bears the fruits the Animalians love so much; you might be able to strike a sweet deal if you offer them for trade! They will warn you, however, not to venture too far into the forest....
On the outer islands lay Miaoteo's Workshop, where Reclaimers in need of equipment can trade fish for weapons made right in front of them; Elder Marinero's house where Animalians gather for oral retellings of their history; and even an unclaimed island perfect for camping. Try to avoid that last island if you don't want trouble, though; the pirates lurking there don't seem as friendly as those on the mainland.
Check out more to explore on these areas in our Setting Information page!
Island Wilds.
The Crystal Lagoon
Surrounding the main island is the Crystal Lagoon, picturesque still waters full of gorgeous reefs that resemble crystal, which are teeming with docile wildlife like gentle sharks and jellyfish. The ecosystem here is bountiful and full of life -- ideal for the Reclaimer who wants to study, or just cool off and relax. The locals will shoo you off if they see you making too much of a splash, as they prefer these waters remain undisturbed!
It's curious, though. With so much algae and reef underwater, one would expect the waters to be more on the shallow side -- but if a Reclaimer chooses to dive down, they may discover that the waters run much deeper than they might expect. The water itself becomes darker, murkier, as they stray from the coral...
Curious indeed.
Deep Foggy Forest
No Animalian would dare wander here, as there are whispers of terrible creatures lurking within and other strange happenings... But if any Reclaimer should venture out here against their advice, they'll find a peculiar atmosphere, indeed. Despite being part of the Foggy Forest, there's a marked difference in the visuals alone. The foliage itself almost seems to be hostile: denser, more like a jungle, gnarled and threatening to trip you at every turn. The fog pervades, making it difficult to see more than five feet in front of you. Even some of the trees seem to be in decay.
The glitches, too, are more threatening in this place: black sap, glowing fruit, vines that clip through the ground and grab you, patches of quicksand that seize you the second you make a wrong step, insects much larger than you’d ever expect to see them, and so forth.
Worse than that, the further in you go, the more you may feel as though you're being watched -- every so often, you catch sight of something monstrous and grotesque in the corner of your eye -- but as soon as you move your head, it's gone. Strange, indistinguishable whispers fill your ears, just louder than the buzzing of insects, and well. Best to be alert. Most creatures you may encounter are not hostile, but the more time you spend here, the less the forest seems to tolerate you. Your luck may not last so long.
Tread lightly, Reclaimers.
Whispers in the Water
Speaking of peculiar happenings, there seems to be more strange happenings afoot. Or... aswim, rather. If a Reclaimer should be swimming around Miso Fou's Bar, the Crystal Lagoon, or the Cascades, they may find themselves hearing voices.
Some unfamiliar, some familiar -- some so familiar, actually, that Reclaimers may hear words they could have sworn they've either said themselves or heard another say to them -- giving them the strangest sense of deja vu.
The voices subside just as abruptly as they began, leaving the source difficult to identify.
A note from your Navigators.
Welcome, Reclaimers, to your first Extra Mission Log! Thank you for sticking with us! We hope you'll enjoy the plans we have for you in this mysterious adventure to find Lucretia and the missing Relic.
We have a couple of fun signups available here, including a special NPC interaction! These particular signups will be open until August 13th at 9PM EST. Regular NPC interactions can be found here!
For adventure rolls head over here and to order food from Miso Fou, head over here! Please direct any questions here!
Thanks for playing, and happy navigating!
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girlsdogs) and cooperative dancing like this, while Papyrus, Mira and Ogata do some energetic number that likely features some high speed waltz moves.Ogata's been in charge of canine wrangling, using speak with animals to help the dogs learn the choreography during practice and to keep them following the routine in the performance. Mira and Papyrus are heading the special effects, starting the group out with darkness - to let the canines join them on stage with no one the wiser before it's pulled down at the start - then adding various flourishes of flowers and colors and sound with druidcraft and prestidigitation, some eldritch blasts into the sky, even some rhythmic gymnastics effect with a thorn whip - the pups jump over it to the sound of the beat at one point.
The whole gang is charismatic (Warlock, Vuplish, Warlock), with Mira and Ogata some bringing extra practiced dexterity to their moves (Rogue, Ranger)! Mira and Papyrus are more genuinely into it, Ogata refuses to back out or half-ass it, and the dogs are here to have a good time. The routine features slightly fewer bones than advertised at the sign-up time, as canine skeletons are few and far between, but Papyrus does his best to make up the shortage with some bone magic patterns at a few points (spreading out like a fan in the air above them), and the dogs each pose with a bone in their mouth at the end of the song.
DOGS N' BONES
Maybe it's the former military discipline coming out, but Ogata has trained the dogs in their choreography well (autopassed for amazing choredography research,) getting the pups +1 to pulling off their moves! Who knew a cat man would be so good at wrangling dogs?
Theoretically, Papyrus's Darkness should be a strong start. Blackouts are a staple in the elaborate illusion that is theatre. But, uh, he gestures and speaks his incantation and it just...doesn't happen. It's like flicking a lighter with no juice, similar to the way magic failed by the Gilded Wall weeks ago.
For this CRITICAL FAIL, Papyrus just has to use his scarf as a makeshift curtain to hide the dogs behind while he ushers them onstage. There's some laughter from the crowd.
When the scarf-curtain is dropped, some of the crowd are charmed to see the canine background dancers, but they aren't quite in awe just yet (7.) Plus, given the failed blackout, the dogs weren't exactly a surprise. These pups will just have to prove themselves!
Mira's Druidcraft serves to get them a little more excited, charming little bursts of flowers and pleasant chimes to accompany their waltz (13.) It works well with Papyrus's Prestidigitation effects (CHA +1, 12), adding splashes of color to the routine and exciting lights for the dogs to follow as they hop along to the beat. They're fitting accompaniments for a fast-paced waltz, and Ogata manages to keep the dogs on track through it all! Even through Papyrus's cool Eldritch Blasts (CHA +1, 9), which would be pretty distracting to any bog standard pup!
Dogs N' Bones have managed to prove themselves by the time Mira gets to her Thorn Whip gymnastics. As she spins the vine up and around herself in beautiful twirls, prancing elegantly over the dancefloor, the crowd is quite taken with her (DEX +1, 15) and they cheer accordingly.
But, when it comes time for the dogs to do their jump over the whip, there's some loud crack in the distance. It's not an uncommon sound from the sometimes unpredictable research at K.V. Labs, so the Animalians don't pay it much mind — but it totally breaks the concentration of the dogs. The pets just start barking. The familiar, a little smarter, is drawn back to the Thorn Whip more quickly; but it just thinks it's time for tug of war!
Laughter in the crowd returns with this second CRITICAL FAIL. Over that laughter, the members of Dogs N' Bones can hear a singular voice more distinctly; it doesn't seem to come from any particular direction, but it sure does sound way too pleased with itself when it says "Well, doggone it!"
Doggone it, indeed. It's an awfully cute mistake, though!
Papyrus manages to get everybody back on track with his bone magic patterns, at least (CHA +1, 15.) Even if he doesn't entirely remember it, he's got plenty of practice making cool bone patterns, and it shows as he uses them to get the dogs focused again and to get the crowd back into the beat! They're cheering again in no time.
Their final pose is solid, the dogs with the bones netting a few cheers (choredography +1, 8) just for how darn cute they are.
Overall, Dogs N' Bones did their very best! At times it seemed more like a comedy routine than a dance routine, but fun is the most important part, and their routine was most certainly boatloads of fun! The strange line-up of a cute girl, a spooky skeleton, and an unsettling cat man just made them even more memorable. And who doesn't like cute dancing dogs, right? They end up with a total score of 14 (+3 from successful execution of dance moves.) Good job, Dogs N' Bones!
Your performance netted you 2nd place in the Visitors' ranking!
Congratulations! As the competition draws to a close and the public dancing begins, you are invited to dine and speak with Lola. She will wait for you at the dining tables outside the dancing square. (NPCs will respond to your thread shortly with prompts for you.)
After the whole event is over, each member of your team finds a coin in their pocket or bag. This coin is a gameplay reward (to be noted on the AC page) and can be used in the gacha!
Meeting Lola Part 2: Second Place
Well after their meal is finished, Lola joins them, still in the dress from her performance.
"I apologize if I kept you waiting," she gives a little bow in apology as she sits at the head of the table.
"I was just tying up business with the other winning team. Papyrus, Mira, Ogata," she addresses them by name and nods at them individually, "I have to thank you each for participating tonight. You certainly raised the crowd's spirits tonight. It's what we Animalians look forward to each season and with things looking the way they are around the island lately, and we certainly haven't seen a routine like yours in a while."
"Now, as I take it, the lot of you with the matching wristpieces are on the same team. Some of you have been trying to speak with me before when I was unavailable. Well, you three have all my attention right now. What is it you'd like to speak to me about?"
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He tacks the last part on in a rushed afterthought, acknowledging what she seems to care about. Better than saying anything that sounds like complaining that they didn't win. The dance competition was perhaps not the ringing triumph he had hoped for, but given the various mistakes made in their performance, second place isn't bad. Regardless of Ogata's feelings on the matter. More than good enough for Papyrus to enjoy the non-spoiled spoils of the buffet, and pass bits to his familiar - who has opted to doze under his seat, rather than get a seat itself.
His familiar nudges him with its particularly cold nose, and reminds him - people did have something to ask her about.
"Oh! But. Some friends of ours are wondering, is the Purge dance really enough?" Not to question her judgement or her grasp of the social nuances of life on the island, but. "The Cursed seem kind of scary..."
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But when Lola comes over, he sees no reason not to pay attention, so after Papyrus brings up the topic of the dance, Ogata pipes up, "is there a reason you can't just kill them? Or hire us to. I think most of us have weapons and magic to deal with things like that."
Dances are dumb. Let's just do a bunch of murder. Clearly a better solution.
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"You visitors really don't know shit. Tell me, do my people look like the type that wouldn't fight?"
Lola braces her hands on the table, giving each of them a long look.
"I think it's time you three had an assumedly-foreign history lesson."
And so she regales the three with a tale about that very wall. Lola explains, a bit more in depth than Marinero had to Christine, that golden, gilded wall was built 100 years ago.
That wall cut off useful, viable land, but see, they had to build it. Before that time, while the island was still developing, there weren't a lot of the Cursed at all. They were able to learn a very special dance, one that used magic beyond the schools and aspects of magic known to Faerun, one more powerful. (Lola comments as though Baisla has always been a part of Faerun, but come to think of it, Mira and Ogata... Was Baisla on your maps of Faerun before you came here?) Those who learned the special dance were few and far between, regarded as special warriors, and that was fine, as there again weren't very many Cursed.
But quickly they noticed the number of the Cursed was only increasing, and faster so than the Animalians could teach others how to channel that positive magic. They noticed that radiant magic still repelled the Cursed, and so they could utilize it to trap them, but it didn't destroy them the way the dance did. Still, it was decided that there wasn't a way to make sure the animalians had enough time to learn that magic before the Cursed overtook the island, so the dancers sacrificed themselves against the rapidly growing horde to give other magic users time to create a wall that would contain the Cursed.
Radiant energy, Lola asserts, is not a permanent solution to ending the Cursed. If it was, the face stealer and the Copy Cat wouldn't be around. They have plenty of fighters, barbarians- normal monsters? Even Lola can crush them under a hoof. But fighting doesn't solve everything. Fighting doesn't destroy the cursed. No magic does.
No magic except that magic beyond the schools. Positivity. Joy. Love. Even anger can create magic. That magic, the magic used in the dance, Lola says, looking at Papyrus, is enough.
Hope and compassion... those are magics enough to make even bones dance, she laughs.
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And at the mention of 'the face stealer', he remains cool as a cucumber. Supercool. Like a cucumber sitting under a mister. Sweat materializing all over his skull, definitely just from the dancing. She's not saying that was actually one of the Cursed, is she....?
"So, the wall's there... to buy you time," Papyrus slowly summarizes, "with everybody safe, while you look for the greatest dancers, who can win this for real?"
Sounds like the best dancers would be heroes, especially if they can harness the powers of hope and compassion to open the island again.
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So, she asks: will Mira, Ogata, and Papyrus learn the dance?
If they can learn it, she'll allow them to help her teach it to the rest of the islanders.
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"Not interested. None of this has anything to do with us, or anything to do with finding a way for us to get off this island. Shouldn't you solve your own problems?" delivered flatly, right to Lolas face, because Ogata is a terrible guest.
But really, if the dance involves having hope and compassion, it's not like he'd be any good at it regardless.
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See, Ogata, this is how friendship goes. Offering to help people, getting helped in turn... Isn't it beautiful enough to want to emulate? Even if you're not feeling the magic of it yet?
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"You have a point yourself, Mister Papyrus," she comments. "Especially that second point. Mister Ogata here isn't incorrect himself either.
"Yes, it is our problem. But your showing up here, the heightened glitching and the weakening of the wall and barrier preventing the ships from leaving... all of those things happened at the same time.
It may very well be that if you don't help us, you won't be able to leave."
All the same, Lola isn't angry; her gestures are calm, fluid, as she lays one hand at the table.
"Negativity and selfishness are magics of their own. And they can be powerful, too. But they are not the magics we need today."
She looks straight at Ogata, intense, but still so calm.
"If you don't want to, you don't have to. There's no place in my troupe for hesitation."