July Exploration: Ignotum Fatum

[lifeaftr_mods]

JULY EXPLORATION: IGNOTUM FATUM

Those of you interested in exploring the underwater structures discussed in our OOC Event Information may do so here! Instead of linking to our Search Requests page, we've chosen to consolidate all OOC discoveries regarding this particular location into one post.

Che Vibra ed Arde

The opportunity is finally yours to find some answers, dear explorers. The underwater structures are yours to pick apart and study at length...as long as you're not stretching the time limit you have to your underwater shape, of course.

Even from a distance, it's apparent that most of these structures have been through quite a lot. Given that they look very much like they were meant to exist on the surface, it's very likely that they were built there and then subsequently sank. The design of each construct is relatively simple, but sturdiness was an evident priority - many of these structures have retained their basic shapes despite whatever it is they may have been through. Certain arches and pillars and supports may seem reminiscent of an almost Greco-Roman architectural style...though if you've been with us for long enough, these buildings might remind characters of a certain other city. Nothing as utilitarian or simplistic, but there's no doubt about it: this sunken city shares many general structural elements with the city of Ai'tuoh. Bear in mind that the return of this area in the future is not guaranteed. Characters must work together to cover as many of the structures as possible. Planning ahead and searching groups is advised. Also keep in mind the restrictions of the sne'akleriad - characters can only remain in their aquatic form for thirty hours at a time, and the underwater city has no places to rest. Characters may be attacked by predators and other threats, and not every find will be able to be physically transported back to the surface.

So tread wisely!

Vivida Nei Secoli

Below, we have provided the map to the entire area for underwater exploration. As opposed to our standard grid-based exploration system, searchable areas have instead been divided into numbered sections. Each number corresponds to the building or general sub-area that characters may search.

To search any part of the city, respond to our search top-level below. Remember that standard search request restrictions apply, as detailed on our Search Requests page. Make sure to use the event plotting post, as well as any other OOC avenues of communication you might need, to communicate with your fellow players as to who wants to search what!

Hover over a location for its name. Click on the location to read its description, and whatever has been found inside or around it. If a location has not been searched, it will simply read its number, and will not link to anything.

Event Timeline

[ ♆ ] July 8th: The Jormun and the kaleidoshells return to Ensō's shores
[ ♆ ] July 10th: Underwater exploration begins
[ ♆ ] July 17th: Part Two of our second year anniversary Test Drive Meme goes up
[ ♆ ] July 20th: Monthly Storytelling occurs
[ ♆ ] July 22nd: The final island in this voting round appears
[ ♆ ] July 25th: The Jormun return home, and the magic of the sne'akleriad recedes

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[heroondecku]

Player: Leriel
Character Name/Journal: Izuku Midoriya(heroondecku)
Character(s) Accompanying: Guzma
Area searched: 15
Date of search: The 13th.
Additional notes: Izuku's not really bringing much in the way of offense beyond having One For All, and will be trying to avoid antagonizing anything - his aquatic form has some defensive spines but isn't really made for fighting. He's yet again bringing along some type of bag or other container to collect more portable finds, and will be going over everything as thoroughly as if it were a crime scene. Guzma isn't bringing any weapons or tools, though he is keeping Golisopod out with them to act as support.

[yallstupid]

Guzma also has a small bag/net made of Ariados' silk for goodies, and his aquatic form (which only mimics the Garchomp, not becomes it fully) also has spikes/claws, and his teeth are sharpened, but he won't be fighting unless he really has to. He'll also have his knife, but it will be more a tool as intended than an actual weapon.

Also, if the mods do allow it, Garchomp has an ability called Rough Skin, where attackers that physically hit it also take minimal damage. I can forgo this as needed, though.

[lifeaftr_mods]

The Rough Skin ability should be plenty effective against any enemies Guzma finds underwater, though he might suffer from some exhaustion the more he uses it!

[yallstupid]

Well, the ability itself is actually passive in nature, since it's the texture his skin takes once he transforms - rough and gravely - it's not something he can turn on or off at will.

I'm fine with saying it doesn't exist though - Guzma's plenty strong on his own, and Golisopod is with him for offensive power. Plus the spikes on his body probably will do more damage than the ability with he decides to elbow something, honestly.

[lifeaftr_mods]

We're happy to leave the decision to you! The ability sounds similar enough to naturally-occurring defenses that other aquatic creatures would have.

[yallstupid]

I'll keep it, if you're all fine with it! But like I said, the damage is pretty minimal, sort of like scraping your knee if you fall, or getting a rope burn or something of you slide down a rope too fast. More an irritant than like, actual injury.

15 | LOWER TEMPLE

[lifeaftr_mods]

The Search Below
This building appears to have been dealt the most vicious wear and tear, despite the fact that its interior and exterior seem to be almost entirely composed of stone. Based on the rubble of the ornate pillars that lie half-buried in the seafloor, it seems that this building was given a bit more focus than its fellows. Parts of the walls look as though they were carved and decorated with mosaic-like colored tiles, ornamented with patterns long since lost to the elements. The purpose of this building was evidently beyond that of the simply utilitarian.

Said purpose will rapidly become evident by the raised slab of cracked stone in the center, surrounded by a number of statues. Most of those statues are utterly desecrated or missing, their former positions evident solely by the empty plinths upon which they seem to have once been mounted. Even worse, some of these plinths seem to have been toppled and smashed to powder - one cannot know how many in number there should have been.

Some of these idols, however, are vaguely recognizable. A roughly bird-like shape is mounted on one. A carefully carved label beneath it is still faintly legible, identifying the bird as UTAG. Some kind of insect has been positioned atop another plinth, though its label is considerably more damaged. The only part of the label visible are three letters: YIR.

Unfortunately, much of these other idols seem to be in equally, if not worse, states. Of all of them, the most visible and identifiable, including the idols listed above, are as follows.

Beneath a bird-like shape: UTAG.
Beneath an insect: YIR.
Beneath a winged insect: AS.
Beneath some kind of serpentine creature with three heads: IS.

Additionally, there are a number of unlabeled statues, whose titles are wholly illegible but whose shapes are vaguely recognizable. One of them appears to be a frog, and another a creature resembling a turtle. The last of these includes some sort of creature with an untold number of legs and a low-slung body.

Unfortunately for all, those inanimate statues of strange creatures aren't the only ones you'll be finding here. The fact that this structure has suffered significant damage doesn't seem to have stopped the small group of Tursa that have set up a small settlement here. As the most intelligent of the undersea beasts, the Tursa are the only of their kind to be sophisticated enough to use tools, albeit of a crude variety - most are fashioned from sharp spines of coral, pointed shells, and chunks of driftwood. Bipedal and thick-furred in appearance, their large tusks and bulbous girth almost cause them to resemble walruses. They hunt in groups, favoring the casting of large nets woven from thick lines of seaweed to trap their prey so that they may close in for the kill.

♆ The Lower Temple has been unlocked on the map of the area! ♆

---

Conflict Resolution
Statues aren't the only objects of note that this group will be able to dig up from the wreckage. A few glassy shards of a pale, faintly rubber-like material might seem to be a solemn assurance that whatever might be useful has since been crushed into powder, but with a bit more scrounging, the group will find a singular, intact orb, the very center softly shining with a wisp of light. The orb is peculiarly transparent, almost like glass, but it proves almost rubbery to the touch. This deceptive sturdiness must be what has allowed it to survive the wear and tear of time, and the pressure of the water above.

Taking hold of the orb with bare skin will cause color to bleed out of the world around you, hues of greys and blacks slowly transitioning to a full, endless white.

And then you see something else.

---

"Pack it up," says the head of the priests' guild, stone-faced, "and move it out of here."

"We were commissioned by the head of architecture," snaps the head of the crafters' guild. "This isn't under your authority."

"This is our temple. Ergo, it is under our authority." The head of the guild of priests is a large wall of a person, blocky and dark-haired, and looks more as though they ought to be in charge of the guild of architecture than any system of worship. Nonetheless, their gaze is steely, and their tone is firm. "We don't have room for them all. We asked for the other nine of the major pantheon; no more and no less."

"We were told that it was to be a full rendition of both pantheons!" The crafters' guild's head, by contrast, is small and weedy - not that this discredits her ability to stand up to the other guild head, punctuating her words with the wave of her sculpting knife. "The status as Lower Temple does not discredit its importance to our need to rebuild. If we do not commemorate all of our gods, then who will remember them?"

It has been a long day for them both, and a longer day still for you. Mediation between common citizens is simpler by far than political strife between two of the most powerful people in Tempide. You fold your hands in front of you and speak calmly, raising your voice to be heard above them both:

"Might we reach a compromise?"

Both guild heads look to you with identical expressions of stubbornness.

"Priority, of course, is to be given to the nine other members of the major pantheon," you say, carefully. "However, if there is space left over, and the means to honor those we might remember of the minor pantheon...should we not remember them as well? They are a part of our history, and this is the only space we have dedicated to them."

"Are we to forget the affront to nature that was Kvaring?" the head of the priests' guild erupts, expression knotting furiously. "Or the Fabri - "

"To honor the members of the minor pantheon that deserve that honor," you say evenly, with perfect control of the steadiness in your tone. "kind Jarilo, for example. We would be remiss to neglect them in a time of plenty."

The priests' head falls silent, while the head of the crafters' guild crosses her arms.

"We are more than prepared to make however many idols that are needed," she says, firmly. "It is never our intent to honor traitorous entities such as..."

"Of course," you say hastily. Even now, no one wishes to speak the name aloud. It is considered a foul omen, and for good reason. No one wishes to draw their eye by calling their name, even a false one. "Might we, then, consider this conflict resolved?"

There's a long pause. Both guild heads eye each other warily, until the head of the priests' guild sighs, and turns to you.

"Yes. Thank you, Frotus." The head of the crafters' guild still chews her bottom lip, but doesn't speak, so they continue uninterrupted: "I believe that will be all."

---

The scene fades away, and color bleeds back into the world around you.

A little experimentation will prove that as long as the orb remains intact, anyone who holds it for long enough will relive the scene detailed above.