Lost Investigations - RPLOG
Participants
Date
16/9/476
Log
Damp from the sewers above, the air in the Undertunnels is clingy and musty at best and cloying at worst. This hasn't stopped a small camp from being set up in a bottle-shaped nook formed from a collapsed corridor, sacks, boxes, tents and all, complete with a large cooking fire in the back. A few beings mill about their business, vaguely visible from the entrance, but today's main attraction is a rather small, large-eared, long-haired cat, waiting at said entrance, a hooded cape drawn about her shoulders in a bid to keep off the worst of the Undertunnels' dirt off her fur.
Selena descends the ladder, rubbing her nose slightly. The wolfess mutters something about the stench from above, though really - it IS a sewer.
Approaching the small camp, she hails the cat. "Good evening... I'm Selena, I came about the note you left? THough I wasn't expecting a camp to be set up in here of all places but I suppose it's the safest part of the tunnels..."
Angus descends shortly after, before he turns and blinks in surprise when he notices the camp. When did they move down here, why were they down here? To many questions were forming in his mind as he follows Selena over to the cat, giving them a nod in greeting with a smile. "Angus Solacious, are you the one that was in need of assistance?" He asks, his head on a swivel as he looks around at everything that he thought was curious.
As the meeting place was down in the sewers, the Iguana has chosen the form that would be most suitable for such a trip. He slides down the ladder effortlessly, having chosen his Dragon Form so as to keep his griffon feathers from becoming all dirty and whatnot. He likes those feathers and they'd take forever to preen clean. He was expecting a camp of rats, or even gators, down here and is actually surprised that the one they meet is a feline instead. His turn to introduce himself, the 12 foot dragon bowing, "Lunch, at your service." Said with a straight face, too.
Sewers? There probably aren't too many people who'd want to take a job like that, right? Regardless, a lion makes his way for the undertunnels and heads down the ladder along with the rest of the group. Last but not least of course. "Good day to ya lads 'n' lasses," he says, hopping off the ladder before actually making it full to the bottom. "Ooh! A feline just like myself," he says excitedly as he rapidly approaches the group. "I'm 'ere for guardin' an' what have ya."
Mirana comes down the ladder with quite a bit of trouble, But before too long Mira along with Amy are down on the scene. She'd been here quite a few times, interested by the creator machines around. She wonders exactly what could be wrong though, spotting... her bother and Selena. She chooses to ignore them for now, walking up closer to Dio, "There was a note of some need down here?" she asks.
The long-haired cat scratches her large, floppy ears in a mixture of embarrassment and worry. "Yes, Nadia chose this spot because it's defensible and there's a draft in the place, so that means there's airflow and we won't -" oh, what am I doing? "My name is Natalie, and I'm a naturalist with the Academy. Those back in the camp are Lance, Matthew and Nadia, but...well, I asked the last supply train to put up the notice for us because Nadia won't escort me there, and...it's just a long story."
"My task here for the Crown is to study in detail the creatures known as the Lost and prepare a report on whether they face a potential threat - Firmament is just above, after all. I've made a start, primarily due to treasure-seekers passing through, but I'd like a closer examination of a site that's been reported to me down by the lakeshore in the underground gorge below the ruined Creatory facility. Nadia says it's a waste of time and too dangerous to go there, even with two of us...hence the need for you."
Selena glances about the gathered beings, Mirana being regarded with a slight frown - though she doesn't say anything to her. The almost comical ear-flop is met with a chuckle. "I thought I recognised you. Though I don't spend much time out of the magic wing of the academy." Despite having the time, she doesn't pry about the 'long story', rather nodding to the cat. "Well, all the previous expeditions through the undertunnels alone have been dangerous if I'm not mistaken. There's no shortage of lost here."
That said, she greets the others properly; "Angus, did your shift go well? And Mazurek. I haven't seen you for a while. You seem to only show up when something needs doing, lately. Dio, good to see you as well." There's a few moments of pause before she finally adresses the other solacious with a slight sigh; "Mirana."
Angus looks over the gathered group curiously before turning back to the cat. "hm, last time I was in the undertunnels it was rather....unpleasant..." He mutters, remember back when he came here in disguse. His tail flicking as he remembers how well that went others found out who he really was. "hm? Oh, it was rather boring to be honest. Not even a pickpocket to deal with." He mutters, still rather thankful to the Wolfess for the coffee. His tail flicks as he looks over the others, his gaze stopping on his sister as he notices she is here. "Ah, hello Sister. Didn't realize that you were joining us." He comments, trying to act a little friendlier as he gives her a smile when she avoids him.
Mazurek has never been down in this area before, not that he has been doing much lately as it is. Being addressed directly by Selena has him turning to her and bowing, "I have been keeping to myself lately is why you haven't seen me. Working on my lair a bit and even visiting the quarry to work the ore there."
"Oh! Two lasses! An' the liony one. Good to see ya again," Dio waves as the two new arrivals descend into the tunnels. As they begin walking closer to him, the lion delivers a friendly and slow tap-punch upon Amy's shoulder. Boop. But there would be more time for play later, so he quickly turns around to the rest of the group. "Good to see ya too, lass," he smiles before listening to the cat's briefing. "I 'aven't been down 'ere myself, so it's all new to me. I'm curious 'bout what kinda danger she was expectin'. Beatin' ya up kinda danger I'm guesin'?"
Mirana looks to Selena, and getting only her name in greating chooses to simply ignore her again. "Anything I can do to help out, my shift only just started." She says waddling a bit closer to the cat and wondering, "I've been down here more then a few times, but any additional information past the obvious would be helpful." she says, "What have your studies shown so far?" she asks watching Amy a moment. She looks over to Angus, was expecting something much different from him, "Well, thank you brother, Dio." THen she looks to Maz, "Well, you look much better then last I saw you." she says.
Amy looks over to Dio and frowns, "I'm on shift, and my captain is standing right there, do you mind?" She asks taking a few steps to be up with Mira again.
"The site in question is quite far below the surface, by an underground lake. Others passing through the place in search of Creator treasure first brought my attention to it - the Lost certainly seem to be attracted to such trinkets and the like - and since then the closest I've gotten was seeing it from the ridge above.
"The presence of some sort of ritual ground implies that the Lost, at the very least, have some sort of social structure and hierarchy in addition to their intelligence and ability to use tools, and although they might not be able to survive on the surface world - most creatures that live their lives wholly underground do eventually die when brought under the sun - they still might be able to do a lot of damage in the meantime." Another practically comical flop of her ears as she scratches them. The constant damp and dirt must be aggravating. "If there aren't any more questions, perhaps we can set off."
Selena doesn't seem to be opposed tot he chilly response from Mirana - though given her own it's likely not too surprising. Angus's comment is met with an emphatic nod, and Mazurek's with a chuckle. "Lair? That's... An interesting way of describing home." She replies, Dio's enthusiasm is, as always, responded to with a chuckle and smile. "Since it's the Undertunnels, there's the old creator machines, steam wraiths and Lost. Mostly the lost, given where we're headed. Or so I'd assume." The wolfess keeps an ear turned to the cat, though - best to know what's known about the area than not, after all.
Angus nods in response to Mira before turning back to the situation. "Either way it's still bad, last time I ran into lost they nearly overran our entire group..." He mutters, looking around a bit before he turns back to the feline. "Mind if I snag a torch? We will definitly need the light." They would need rope as well, he starts going through a mental checklist of what he should of brought with him last time in the undertunnels.
Mazurek smirks, "Well, what else can I really call it? A lair fits perfectly when it is a cave whose main entrance has a watery entry point only accessible down in the thirty foot range past the shoreline. I've dug some other entrances to serve as back doors for the sake of making it easier for any visitors to use. It's a slow process of digging it all out to feel like home while shoring things up with some pillars and such." He shrugs and turns toward the others, "Sounds like we're in for some interesting times down here. If there's need for some underwater exploring, I don't need any breathing gear to help with it." Dragons don't need to breathe if they don't need to, after all...
"These Lost are an interestin' bunch," Dio comments as the briefing continues. "I'm getting kinda curious myself. Perhaps I'm becomin' a scholar as well..." The lion is silent for a few moments, but it is quickly broken with a short chuckle. Even he couldn't take himself seriously with such a remark. "Anyways, some torches an' all the standard gear an' we should be ready to head on out." Putting a hand next to his hip, he gently wiggles the sword hiding just under his coat and gives a confirming nod.
Mirana nods to Amy, who unsholders her pack. Mira gets to work getting her own creator devices up and ready, it taking her much longer then it used to, but, after much back holding and grunting she has them up and ready. "Dangerous shouldn't be too much of a problem. I've patrolled down here with just myself and Amy and not had that great of trouble, though we never did go down too far." She says. "And if that is all you have, yes, lets be on our way." Looking about she smiles to Angus, Dio again. Then gives a very odd look to Maz, "Might.. I ask why not live in a house?" she wonders.
"Of course. Get whatever you need before we set off - if you don't have it, I can probably persuade Matthew to part with some. It's for research, after all," Natalie says with a sigh.
When everyone has retrieved everything they need, Natalie leads the way out and into the darkness of the tunnels, having shouldered a pack of her own and a glowing globe of light in her hand. The trip through the tunnels in uneventful - machine servitors are to be found skittering up and down the Creator steel walls, but remain largely docile and uninterested in the party.
Abruptly, though, the tunnels come to a ruined, wrecked end in a collapsed corridor opening out into a natural limestone gorge. The air here is even wetter and heavier than that of the sewers, and everyone climbs down and out of artificial onto natural, whereupon Natalie points downwards at a stream and lake, both lit by glowing lichens and fungi that illuminate much of the place as well. "There it is. I've never dared to get any closer. The Lost are thick as thieves down there. We'll need to climb down, though."
Finally, something to (Sort of) agree on. Selena also gives Mazurek an odd look - "...You have strange tastes in where to live." The wolfess comments, then shrugs - "Up here is the safest part of the tunnels, for whichever reason. The further in you go, the more lost there are, the more dangerous creator tech there is and so on."
That said - she seems moderately surprised with how quiet the journey to the caves themselves is - certainly not a bad thing, though. The sudden spike in humidity makes the wolfess a little uncomfortable, shifting slightly - all that water in her fur not helping. "You can certainly tell why there's all that plant life down here though, it's wet enough..."
Angus followed in silence, trying to remember what he could of the lost that he encountered as he held the torch in his right hand high as he notices the humidity spike. Looking down over the sheer drop he whistles. "I can understand why the lost would congregate here, probably one of the only sources of water within a few miles." He debates on dropping his torch over the edge to see how close the lost were to the cliffside, he didn't want to fly down just to get poked full of arrows.
Mazurek shrugs, "What's in a name? Ixitixl and I wanted to live in a spot where we wouldn't be disturbed and that made for a very perfect spot. Haven't seen him for some time, though. His trip must be keeping him pretty occupied, leaving just me and Donny living there when the kid isn't at school." Stopping at the edge of the sheer drop along with the group, the spike in the humidity has caused his body to sweat some even if he doesn't feel it all that much. Briefly looking to the others he comments, "Well, we're here. Down we go." So saying he jumps off the ledge into a freefall of a few feet before spreading his wings to glide to the bottom.
Never knowing when it might be useful, Dio takes a bit of rope and coils it around his torso for easy transportation. Perhaps a bit strange, but it gets the job done! With a hand firmly attached to the hilt of his blade in case of any danger, the lion follows behind the group, marveling at all the strange creatures and things they pass on their way there. "Quite a drop. An' an awful bit of humidity... Probably should've left my coat at the inn," he grumbles under his breath. "Anyways, I can lower some of ya down with this 'ere rope. I can fly down there as well, so I can be last down. Should probably be a bit safer than takin' a climb if ya can't fly."
Mirana doesn't much seem to like the dampness herself but continues on, thankful that Creator Steel doesn't rust as easily as normal stuff. "I'll do my best to help with creator tech issues, but a lot of lost." She seems to think for a moment, looking down. Flying wouldn't be hard for her, but about her machines... she picks up the Shield and directs the rest to climb down, knowing a bit of water or a fall wouldn't do much harm, however, she holds this command, waiting for Selena first. "Should I send a machine down first in your opinions?" she asks around... only to see Mazurek fly down himself. She wonders a moment what is going to happen to him as she prepares her med kit.
As far as the group can tell, the underground lake and the shore appear to be abandoned and devoid of life save the occasional chittering creature in the darkness. "It would make sense," Natalie says in reply to Selena's comment as she anchors a loop of rope to a stalagmite and ties the other end about her waist. "Most of the upper tunnels have already been pilfered by looters and treasure hunters. Lance is tinkering with his crusher to see if he can't make it strong enough clear out some of the collapsed tunnels - but that's another story."
Indeed, for those who are already down, one's attention is drawn towards the underground lakeshore - it's mostly flat and water-smoothed, but pieces of Creator steel are embedded in the ground as markers of some sort, as well as a mural that's been etched on one of the far walls. Repeated attempts have been made to clear the mural of fungus and lichens, and scorch marks are evident in the middle of the lakeshore. Perhaps the greatest oddity in the underground lake is an enormous creator device that sits by the lakeshore, easily as tall as ten beings and twice as wide. Pipes and wires trail off from its metal bulk into the dark depths of the lake, disappearing into who knows where.
"Would that be a good idea? One of the last expeditions down here did reveal there was a cave-in. It'd stand to reason that some of the tunnels might've collapsed because of that." She replies, before making her way down with ease, before moving over to the mural - much more interesting than a piece of dilapidated machinery with no discernible function in her eyes - "Angus, Mazurek, come and take a look at this." She says, keeping her voice low as to avoid attention, gesturing to the large bas-relief.
Angus watches Mazurek jump down and sighs a little, over eager lizard. "Sheesh, could of waited." He mumbles as he takes a step off and uses air magic to lower himself to the ground as he takes a look around in surprise. He looks around, noticing the evidence that there was actually lost here before Selena calls and gets his attention. Turning the fox walks up next to Selena and looks up at the machine before whistling. "this is rather intresting...but I do have to open my mouth....Where are all the lost?"
Mazurek lands at the base of the cliff with ease only to turn about and look up to the others as they come down. He is ready to assist as needed and only diverts from that self-appointed task when he is called over to look at something. The wires that go into the lake aren't exactly lost upon him and he points them out, "Do you want me to take a dive and see where those lead? Anyone have a source of light I can use underwater?" This last is said to the others who have climbed down.
With his rope unneeded for the time being, Dio shrugs and hops off the edge, descending down saftly with a bit of air magic. "Collapsed tunnels ya say? I hope we're not in danger o' some more cave-ins. But then again, I don't know the area too well." The lion looks around the rather bizarre room, taking note of the various objects scattered about here and there. And naturally, his eyes are then drawn to the gigantic whatever that is standing in front of them.
Mirana looks down the hole, and Maz as well as everyone seems fine flies down herself, letting most of her machines climb down, saying to Amy, "Stay here, but at the first sign of trouble, call down to us or come down yourself." The lioness deputy nods and keeps watch over the way down. Mira looks aobut and her eyes go wide as she sees the old creator tech. "That... that is.. interesting." she says waddling up to it. She traces her hands over it a few times "It is still in working condition too.. these wires.. and these pipes should still function... it is a little worse off for being down here like this so long, but." That is when she sees the button, "Well, it is the only switch, button, or lever on the thing." She says "Machine spirits, please do not be angred by us." She says as she gives it another look over, "I can't tell just by looking at it, but I'd bet that is either the on switch to wake up the machine spirit, or to give us more access. Should we push it?" she asks, when Maz offers to go below, Mira shakes her head, "I have nothing that would work underwater, I'm sorry. But if you could safely see where it leads that would help me reevaluate it." she says.
Angus' question is quickly answered as movement - lots of it - can be heard from the cave to the north. The footsteps grow louder and louder, and in the distance, shuffling shambling shapes can be seen, some of them carrying large objects outlined in the dim glow afforded by the lumiscent lichens. Those bearing burdens walk upright, while the rest are content to shamble on all fours with their knuckles on the ground. There must be at least a hundred of the Lost moving as one rubbery, misshapen mass, far too many to fight.
Thankfully, their eyesight appears to be particularly bad - none of them appear to have noticed the intrusion yet. On her part, Natalie claps her paws over her mouth, stifling a squeak, and motions for the others to hide either in the lake of behind the device, whichever is more befitting.
As the sounds of the lost approaching become aparrent, Selena purses her lips and considers her options - ultimately slipping behind the large machine. Being careful, of course - electric shocks aren't exactly fun on their own, the so called 'machine spirits' notwithstanding. Even then, she readies herself for a confrontation - it'd seem jumping in the lake is out of the question for her.
"....You see this...this is why I should order someone to slap me when I make comments like that." Angus mutters as soon as he realizes that the Lost were heading their way, quickly he tosses his torch into the water to hide the light before he slips behind the creator machine and draws his Rapier. He didn't want a fight, wanted to avoid one as much as possible. But he still readies his blade just in case.
Mazurek is about to answer Selena's question when all the commotion further down the cavern draws his attention. He was ready to affirm pushing it but with the arrival of the creatures he instead offers a deadpan stare to Angus and makes hand motions of slapping him silly in response to the false order. Being the largest of the group he takes the only option that is available other than standing behind the thing. Well, he actually does not go into the water but instead takes to the air to literally perch right on top of the device itself, settling to a crouch and digging his claws into it to keep him steady. Iguana claws are made for digging, and being a dragon only makes them a bit sharper. He can easily come to the group's aid from up there should it be required.
Uh oh. The army of Lost causes Dio to tense up slightly, readying for a potential fight. However, causing a conflict now certainly wouldn't be any good for the party. Now then, hide behind the lake or the machine. Lake or machine... Machine, definitely. What feline would choose to hop in the water if he had an alternative choice? Quietly, he makes his way behind the machine with the others and carefully watches the Lost from his position.
Mirana looks around as she ears footsteps. She gives a quick command to her machines with their controller to get into the lake. They wouldn't mind the water, and would be just fine after. Mira however, needs to breathe, and wasn't sure how long she'd have to hide, so she takes a place next to Angus, holding her belly and listening. She tries to look at the machine again as she hides though, whispering to her brother.
More and more Lost shamble into the ritual grounds much like apes into a clearing, and it becomes clear what the burdens are - planks of dried driftwood, no doubt swept underground by whatever's feeding the lake. These are piled into the middle of the lakeshore on top of the scorch marks, and one of the Lost detaches itself from the group, wearing a headdress fashioned from roots. It's female - or at least, going off a being's standards - and lights the bonfire with a wave of its fingers as the rest of the Lost jabber and cheer, taking up positions at the spots marked out by the fragments of Creator steel.
Natalie whispers excitedly as the small cat peeks out from behind the machine , hastily taking notes. "Fascinating. Some sort of ritual...led by a shaman, priestess, storyteller...no, it's too early to jump to conclusions...language..."
With that, the lost Priestess launches into what sounds like a speech in the creatures' mumbling language, to which the assembled Lost cheer and clap. It certainly seems like a social gathering - there aren't any weapons to be seen, save a crude boomerang in the priestess' hands - several moments later, one of the Lost shuffles up to the priestess and genuflects towards the mural before accepting the weapon to more cheers from its fellows. Some ritual indeed.
The Lost warrior holding the boomerang shuffles over to the lakeshore, winding back its arm in preparation to hurl the weapon out over the water when it suddenly notices Mazurek perched up on top of the device. Instantly, it starts howling and pointing upwards, recognising something that shouldn't be there - not surprising, considering the Lost should be familiar with their usual ritual grounds. Oddly enough, the priestess shushes the warrior with a wave of her hand and picks up a rock from the ground, hurling it and striking the large button on the device's front. With a rattle and subsequent sucking sound from the lake's surface, it begins to spew out boiling steam at an alarming rate, and a voice emnates from the device, recognisably in the First Language.
Mirana looks to her brother, next Selena, then Dio, Natalie. She tries to keep her voice low, but loud enough to be heard over the sounds of the machine, "It is a power source, it.. it makes .. " she can speculate at this point, "I guess it powers creator machines in a way that lunar dust might." she says "Geo... thermal power... " She ponders about this while looking at the others. "It might get very hot btw..." she says, thankful she is a phoenix.
Selena simply replies; "So it runs off of heat from the ground. water as well, evidently, since there's steam." She observes with a shrug - and there is a reason she's not pressed up to the machine, as nonchalant as she seems to be about a towering steam-producing machine. "Though I thought most creator machines were powered by little metal devices or creator wrath, from what little I've heard. Lunar didn't exist when these were around, unless the creators were blowing up moons. Somehow I doubt that." That said, the wolfess turns to the digressing cat - "We can listen to your findings when there aren't alerted lost everywhere."
Angus looks up at his sister as she comments about the buttne, and his smile grows as he gets an idea. He was about to actually press the button himself when it is pressed for him. "Crap, well we over stayed our welcome!" Stepping out from behind the machine he concentrates, weaving together a few mathemagical equations of air to force the steam back towards the Lost, which he releases with a wave of his hands before he turns and gets ready to fly back up to the cliff.
The dragon watches in rapt fascination as the massive group of creatures arrives at the very spot that the group is hiding. He is watching them so intently, watching their ritual, that he actually fails to notice that he has been spotted immediately. Not only is he a foreign object on their ritual totem, so to speak, but his body is reflecting some of the light from the fire. It isn't until the rock is thrown at the machine, which begins to vibrate and begins to speak in a language he vaguely recognizes, that he realizes something is wrong. Then comes the steam blasts from the machine, and that makes him definitely realize that it was likely a mistake going up there. The shaking actually threatens to dislodge him from his precarious perch. His wings are spread out to help him keep his balance, which keeps him preoccupied for the moment and not watching what is happening below.
A machine that generates power using heat! How fascinating. But was it really hot? There's only one way to find out... Dio stretches out his hand and gives it a good tap, only to be met with a heavy stinging of heat upon the appendage, causing him to grunt a bit in pain and wave his hand around just a bit. The child and the stove, a classic tale repeated by nearly everyone in their youth. With the jig clearly up, the lion looks towards the way they came and then back at the group, smiling as the steam begins to flow towards the Lost. "Good thinkin'! Now let's get out o' here lads!" As fast as his leonine legs could take him, he heads back for the cliff and makes sure everyone has made it safely before going up himself.
Angus' spell works somewhat - the moment the Lost priestess realises what the lordling intends, she begins a counterspell, but aided by Selena, Angus manages to overwhelm it, throwing the steam back in the Lost's faces, buying the party a little time to escape from the enraged troglodytes as Natalie herself squeals and swims out into the lake, heading straight for the ropes which're still tied out over the cliff face.
A small voice, once again in the First Language, beeps. The scent of energy fills the air even as the gathered Lost cease their pursuit and begin prostrating themselves on the ground, the vented steam swirling, shifting, beginning to take form, although the form is quite indelible...steam wraiths.
The priestess shrieks angrily at the wraiths and points at the party, her meaning clear. Yes, retreat would definitely be a good idea...
Selena doesn't seem to look particularly pleased with the results of the spell one way or another - while certainly a reasonable distraction, it is still steam. The fact it produces wraiths certainly doesn't help the situation, and followed with the enraged response it's only more clear that they're not welcome.
Although, the actions of the lost when those wraiths begin to form prompts a double-take, she doesn't waste time in using her math again, though this time to return her to the cliff face they'd scaled not too long ago.
It worked.....Sort of. The results were good enough fo Angus, who instantly takes to the sky and lands right next to Dio. Turning around he draws his pistol and leans over the edge. "Hurry up everyone!" Those wraiths troubled him, his ears folding as he watches them turn towards the group.
