Duty Session 444: The Phantom Colosseum

The party gathers at the hastily put together dock (Really, a plank of wood and two large logs that have been shoved into the ground) to board the hired boat to take them to the Atoll. The captain of the boat is waiting there, ready to ship out once the party has gathered and prepared for their journey to the atoll.

Shenmi, despite not being the leader type, made sure to be here early. He's sitting at a table with the captain. With a grin, he compresses all his cards together, into a small deck of five cards, places them face-down on the table, and spreads them. One flick of his finger from below, a grin, and he zips through them, raising the first, and flipping them in order, as a domino cascade of sorts. "Four aces!", he grins.

The captain groans and tosses his cards on the table, while Shenmi rakes up all the coins in the pot. "Curse you!", the captain snaps, "I'm furious, but at least, with someone as lucky as you on board, our trip should be safer."

Sumisu had more or less managed to make sure that this was entirely coincidental. Any travelling ship required supplies, and supplies required people to take them on board. And so, that was what the young woman had busied herself doing, her head lowered and a faintly bored expression on her face as she helps unload crates from carts, stacking them at the deck. She does give Shenmi a small smile and secretive wave, though

It's always hard to tell just how long Kauchemar has been there, but as usual she's not really noticed until she pats a hand on Shenmi's shoulder. "Maybe you shouldn't piss off the crew until after we're at the destination. Just saying." Then wanders back to wherever she had been standing an picks up a fairly ordinary looking staff. "Suppose I should start practicing with this." Rests it against her shoulder. "No time like the present."

Haru is late to the party. He is seen walking in the direction of the hastily assembled dock and towards the boat without a focus on getting there. One of those 'if the train leaves, I'll catch the next one' sort of looks on his face as he seems more interested in the sea and sand. It is not his first trip out and his enthusiasm levels are around a one of five stars. Maybe he was talking to an Undine before this?

The Artificer is normally rather cordial. Today Haru flicks open a menu and summons out a notepad, making notes and observations that jog his memory or spark and inspiration. Tidal influences and the Moon. The flow of aether. A big note on 'Sirens' double circled on the pad.

Goldenblade is, today, dragging ass. That is, she's pulling a donkey, which doesn't want to go, and is putting up a fight. And her without Animal Handling skill doing poorly. It is loaded with supplies, but seeing the boat and makeshift pier, she says, "This isn't the quest I thought it was." She eyes the donkey, who looks at her skepticly, and says, "Take it," to the Captain with resignation in her voice. "There's no way I'm going to drag that beast back."

Shenmi returns a barely perceptible tip of the hat to Sumisu. No strange creatures here, only us regular everyday folks who do everyday folks things. Ayup. No shenanigans, no hijinks, none of that kerfuffle. Nossir.

"I was, in fact, thinking that this is a good time to stop," Shenmi comments to Kauchemar, without even turning. "What? No! I want a rematch! Double or nothing!", the captain retorts. His mood seems to swing from annoyace right back to enthusiasm in the blink of an eye. "Let's do this next time," Shenmi suggests, as he counts the coins that go into his pouch. "After we've taken care of our quest." The captain squints through the only good eye he's got left. "-Immediately- after the quest. Meet me at the seaside inn." Shenmi tips his hat. "At the seaside inn," he confirms, as he moves to stand, in case Kauchemar's hand rested on his shoulder allows him. "Oh, a staff?" The Captain takes notice of it. "Looks nice," he comments. "Reminds me that I haven't used a cane in a while, I should get me one..." he trails off, tapping his chin. "Oh, which reminds me. Shenmi Jingren, Conjurer," he introduces himself, bows, and with a flourish of his hand as he returns to stand, he produces a bouquet that's offered to Kauchemar. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

And this is when Goldenblade makes her entrance, which leaves Shenmi to blink at the handing over of the donkey. "What... what quest did you think it was?"

Finally,it is Haru who gets noticed by the Conjurer. He watches with interest, but the young man seems very absorbed in something. Better not to disturb him.

A mostly unremarkable journey marked by sudden, beautiful singing. On a sandbar nearby, the song of several sirens singing in chorus can be heard, attempting to draw in the party! While in theory they could continue to just move past without too much worries, it becomes much more difficult when the young adventurer who had been helming the boat suddenly finds themselves drawn in! The party will have to deal with these sirens, and fast, or they'll be forced to swim to the Phantom Atoll instead of traveling by boat!

The white haired human quietly boards upon the ship. Haru finds himself standing on the side of the boat to keep an eye out for a previously identified species of Enchantment. It is the kind of Enchantment that comes from voice and song. The connection between the two is strong, but today it is a future note for Enchanting times later. His pad gets a few side notes. Single words here and there.

It is not until the sirens make themselves known that Haru makes an adjustment to his documentation. He begins to pen what exactly he is hearing and seeing as it relates to the magic that effects the minds and moods of others. When the effect becomes too overpowering the Enchanter summons up a pebble the size of his knuckle and launches it with Earth magic to disrupt the song. Then back to recording. Swimming would slow down his work.

Goldenblade boards the ship, and will reply to Shenmi, giving him a questname that's not familiar. Yamato natives, at least the ones from this area, will recognize one of the newbie fetch-quests that builds status with the local region. She is clearly a person of status, her swords with their fine hilts and fur-trimmed scabbards are quite striking.

When the siren song is heard, she will move to the gunwhale and draw the blades, repelling boarders with solid blows from her swords, knocking them back into the waters, the countersong protecting her ears.

Sumisu had settled herself to watching the sea go past, her elbows on the railing of the ship. The wind whipped at her hair and dress, and she smiled slightly as the sea went past. No real thoughts, only musing, as her feet tapped slowly. Slowly. Then she looked down to the tapping foot, as the singing in her ears went from on the edge of hearing to far more audible.

"I'm really not having this" She murmurs, and then ponders a moment. Then shrugs, raising her voice in a far more eager song as she moves to help the Sealors (this isn't on land) raise the sails to catch the wind and get out of range "'twas early in the morning, not long from leaving dock, the crew of a speeding ship, heard the whispers of the clock! Too close to Siren's Rock, and they'd be lost amidst the foam, so the sails were freed to let the good ship roam"

It's an easy rhythm, as she helps the crew work with the ship. Get out of there!

Kauchemar accepts the bouquet, and bows elegantly in return. "Kauchemar Tenebrae, Nightmare Muse, Sage of Song and Champian of Eas, at your service." At least some Adventurers still have some manners no matter where they come from! Okay, let's get on with this little adventure. Narritively jumping ahead to sailing upon the boat.

And boat starts to take an unexpected detour. At the tones drifting through the air Kauchemar just snorts softly. "Oh, it's -them- again." Sirens. Scourges of lonely seamen everywhere.

Thankfully, she came prepared for this situation. Kauchemar plants one end of her staff to the deck, holding it up in front of herself like it was a mic on stand. Sure, this one was just a prop in this case, but it didn't detract any from her raising her voice in a song that sounds cheerful. Yet has a darker tone to it.

"o/~ So what's your name? What was your name?
I can't remember something so lame
'Cause I don't care. Yeah I don't care
That a breakup left you in despair
Keep me off your track, I don't need you back
Crusades of guilt you put me through, they make. Me. Sick.

To me, your life's irrelevant
So don't search for significance
There's nothing about you I've missed
I forgot that you exist! o/~ "

For one, she's help block out the Sirens' singing. For another though, she's trying to plant the idea in the crews' heads that the sirens just aren't there. Forgot they exist, as the song says.

Kauchemar's song is a success: Sirens? What sirens? There's only these amazing bards putting up one heck of a show. And we all know that a sailor does love entertainment on a ship, especially of the musical kind. Shenmi is no musician by trade, but knows enough of his showbiz techniques to harmonize a lower-pitch voice into the song, by singing, while he taps on his top hat, held on his knees, for rhythm.

As said, what Sirens? Nobody is really paying attention to Goldenblade's hard work, because, what sirens? It is, however, for the best, because she seems to manage on her own, shattering almost all the sirens into polygons while the rest of the crew keeps the ship running.

Almost, but not -all- sirens: a single, treacherous siren sneaks in from the opposite flank of the ship. When she's close enough to the Adventurers, she begins singing loud enough to drown the countersong, until- well, it looks like a pebble enchanted with Earth magic into her throat; now she's launches into a fit of coughing so bad her HP bar drains until she shatters, the pebble clattering onto the boards of the deck.

Somehow, through an error of cartography, the party ends up on the opposite side of the atoll from the bridge that allows entrance to the Colosseum. Sure, they could just try to sail around, but at this point the easiest option would be to try to find an alternate entrance from this side of the island, and leaping into the water doesn't sound like a great idea. A member of the party finds... what appears to be a wooden set of doors on the beach? Inside, they find a rather shabby, disheveled man with dreadlocks that is muttering something about rum being gone. Once he realizes that he's not alone, he calls out, "Parley?" After being apprised of the situation, he claims to know a secret entrance to the Colosseum, and he'll show the party if they can come up with something strong that will sate his desire for good old-fashioned senses-melting drinks. Perhaps someone already has something that might work, or they can make something relatively quickly using their skills. Of course, with enough persuasion -- or threats -- the party could convince him to show them without it.

So far Haru hasn't introduced himself, so outside those that have Inspected or already know, he is just 'the dude with a notepad'. He steps off of the boat and onto the docks on the wrong side of the Atol. No response. He seems more interested in the quality of the sand out here. Is there a relation between the Sirens and the Earth and Water? Start with the Earth.

Of course he is holding a handful of sand when they are interupted by a man clearly in need of more rum. "Parley," is what he responds, likely over others talking at a similar time. He isn't looking for proper etiquette in the conversation. "Provide the destination or a series of apathetic Adventurers will bludgeon you into the ground." His voice is deadpan and apathetic himself, not turning his gaze from the sand that is slowly falling from one ungloved hand. Finally he dusts his hands off, taking out a notepad and adding in a reference. Glass? Silica that has had sonic reverberation? Stained glass that sings? Possibly, and that would move away from...

Something something be wary of possible pirates propositioning parley.

As it turns out the staff has a lot of keen uses other than a prop.

Case in point Kauchemar smacks it against the side of the hobble hard enough for a loud *WUNK* to get the attention of even the most drunkard bilgerat. No point in negotiation if you can't keep their focus after all. "Show us the nearest entrance, and we can have more rum than you'd possibly imagine brought to you."

... And then she raises a brow at Haru being so... shallow. Someone has a lot on their mind, but there really isn't the time to prod at it farther right now.

"I'm less inclined to feed an alcoholic and more inclined to just climb and find a way around" Sumisu smiles as she looks around with interest and listening to the others chatter "After all, good sir, we wouldn't want to put you out. Perhaps your hut could help us? Though some of us are heavy" As she clambers up, swarming to the top, and bounces onto her toes "And the roof feels rather thin!" She calls down

Goldenblade's job of repelling boarders isn't that onerous, not that many came at us, it seems, though she's relieved as the one that boarded opposite was taken care of. We finally land, but it seems that we're on the wrong side. Well, that's a bit of a problem, but some fellow will show us to the other side? For a bribe?

"I think you'll take us where we want to go out of the goodness of your heart," Goldenblade tells the fellow. One hand on the hilt of her blades, and he doubletakes. Maybe he recognizes her, or maybe not, but the threat of force is not lost on him, and he gulps.

"Excuse me, good sir...", Shenmi begins, but the drunk man doesn't even pay him attention. He teeters towards Kauchemar, and with crossed eyes, he goes, "...you had me at 'we can have more rum than you'd possibly imagine brought to you.'" He adds, "Let me tell you, I have a very hyperactive imagination."

Directions are exchanged, and soon the members of the party finds themselves into the halls of the Colosseum. While one would think that it would be relatively simple to get around, there's a lot of damage to the building, making traveling through the Colosseum more like a crazy puzzle with angry fishmen around every bend. After what felt like hours of wandering (It was more like maybe ten minutes but it all looked the same), they find their way into a room with stairs downwards into strangely fresh water. The walls around are inscribed with runes and etched with intricate designs all the way to the bottom of the stairway. The pathway is entirely submerged and the party finds itself able to breathe water as it explores, though the party still has to swim. Rather suddenly, a current begins to drag the party through the corridors wildly. They're going to have to try to swim to get back into the corridors of the Colosseum, as their oxygen meter begins to rapidly deplete!

Pff. Submerged passage. Kauchemar dives right in, taking to water so well one might think she was part kelpie. Or seahorse. But they're less pretty. When the current picks up and tries to yank them around she doesn't seem too phased by it either, using her own aquamancy to just warp it to flow around her, and creating a eddy in her wake that others could also slip through to avoid some of the resistance. The old saying about bards being a versatile lot certainly seems to be holding up in this adventure.

Haru has not given anyone eye contact since arriving. Threatening a washed up pirate was one of the first things that he said and even that was a touch off color for him. No matter. He has a recollection of this room and puts his notepad away. Immediately he begins to start stretching. One two. One two. As there is walking through the corridor. One two. Over the head and to the side. Twist at the core. Fwoosh.

The water current is met with a well adjusted set of swimming. It may be the time where Haru is taking the mortal peril with a degree of seriousness given the oxygen bar is a slightly menacing appearance for any Adventurer. Those arms? Noodle Arms! Downright magical to watch.

Sumisu is flailing. The water is not a natural place for her! No, she thinks a moment, releasing a trail of magical bubbles; watching as a bunch of them start to speed up, and she heaves herself into the stream, catching a current to move forward! Desperately holding her breath!

Goldenblade will follow the party into the water, and is picked up by the current, swirling along with the current until she finds herself in an eddy. She swims out, brute forcing herself back into the current. When she spots anyone else in an eddy, she'll pull them back into the current. She's a strong swimmer, it seems, and her chainmail gives her a bit of inertial, so she's not thrown around too much.

Shenmi launches into showy gesture, and a whirlpool of water forms around him, propelling him against the current, slowly at first, but then faster and faster, until he begins moving to safety.

The party manages to get back to the corridors of the Colosseum, swimming against the current or reversing the current entirely, or however else they manage to get back into the Colosseum. Regardless, they are there, and they eventually get to the bottom of the underwater layer of the Colosseum, a massive underwater cave that is lit with bright fungus and glowing spheres of coral attached to various points in the roof. That bright light reveals a rather unfortunate sight most likely. It seems that the Sahuagin were having a tournament right now! And the party just entered through one of the gladiator's entrances! And the gate closes behind them, while the crowd of Sahuagin jeer and screech at the party. Which is forced to fight in the tournament, through several rounds of ever-increasing numbers that they have to fight and endure through

Haru can't say that he is giving the same level of attention when the party reaches the arena. He summons out a small black cat, a Dark Sprite that he uses to focus a zone of darkness debuff. However he does not give Eve, the cat, any instructions so she just sits there while Haru goes through the subtle cast incantations. He figures that the spell just didn't take hold or was counterspelled and rolls forward with a series of basic Enchanter Life magic spells that pew pew.

"I'm not sure what I'm even doing here" Sumisu confesses, as the crowds screech and she's forced to fumblingly draw the straight sword she carries. There are parries, and clumsy ripostes, as the distressed damsel dances and drawcuts at the enemy. Some fall, but she's quickly pressed back, taking more than cosmetic damage!

The wish and wash of the waters aren't enough to deter the party of determined Adventurers and they eventually find their way back into the Colosseum. Though that's also landed them right in the middle of a Shanguin tournament, and now they're the main event. "Tch. Tough crowd. Cheering for the wrong side like that."

She picks up her staff in both hands, which starts to shimmer a bit. It's already made of wood, so when she draws some Earth element into it the greenish hue shows, it's aura giving the staff an almost squared off look, like a wooden plank. Just as one of the first fighters is charging her. "I'll just have to literally knock some sense into them. Hey guess what... Grass beats Water type. CLUE-BY-FOUR!"

She swings, SMASHING the Shaugin across the head with such force his helmet flies off as he spins around, sent swirling away from her and crashing back into others. "IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE!"

This will continue for some time.

Goldenblade arrives at the arena, panting, and looks around. "Looks like we got a ringside .... no, we didn't, did we? We /are/ the main event, it seems." Well, that doesn't slow her down at all. In point of fact, it seems to charge her up. She draws both blades and fights savagely, blades dripping pixels as fast as she can step up to a new enemy. Mowing them down, she seems to have found a rhythm that the sahaughin can't meet, always off on the intiative, letting her hack and spin, cleaving them with the golden blades she bears. It's pretty clear to see why she might be well known, if this is her normal performance level.

It's not, but she can keep it up for the length of the fighting, at least, before sinking to one knee, Endurance bar drained.

Shenmi begins to charge a healing spell, when he's suddenly shoved off to a side by a shaguin fighter. His Health Bar drops massively, and as a Palace Land Uncrowned, he has to put all of his efforts into Not Dying(tm), lest he face a Fate Worse than Death. So the healing has to take a backseat to survival.

The party fights through a long and hard battle, managing to come out victorious, though how battered and bloodied they are is debatable. Even members of the crowd joined at some point! When the final Sahuagin is defeated, breaking into red fragments of code, a silence falls over the Colosseum, and all of the Sahuagin begin to beat their spears against the ground in a rhythmic beat. On the other side of the Colosseum, a massive metal grate lifts with clanks that reverberate through the water, ending in a final loud BOOM! Suddenly, a massive octopus-like creature comes out from the other side, humanoid in appearance with four massive tentacles, long spindly arms, and a head that has no mouth, just a series of gills and eyes. Through its translucent flesh, one can see an eerily human-like body. The party readies for what they hope is the final fight!

Haru waves his hand out and constructs a matrix of crystals-and-panes around the frontal side of him like a shield. The more subtle part of the spell is that it also dots the ground, creating a lock-on for sliding quickly across the battlefield. Instead of focusing on damaging the big bad, he focuses on debuffing it with status effects to reduce accuracy and attack power. While keeping them up he weaves in an occasional low cost bolt of Earth magic before going back into his rotation. Final battle time, time to dig in for the long haul.

Goldenblade manages to recover some of her End when the massive gate lifts and some giant osctopus thing emerges. She grimaces, but says, "Well, let's do this ninja-style." With that said, she fades from view, sliding into the shadows like ink draining out. Metaphorically.

What she's doing at that point is anyone's guess, but she reappears well after the fight is underway, at full End, and strikes the monster from behind, or at least from an angle it wasn't ready for, costing it a huge chunk of HP. From there, she will fight on in the general melee, but that hit has cost the monster dearly.

Sumisu finally adjusts her blade in her hand, and she falls back, doing a small number of strikes. Quick, methodical, and only once she's out of sight does HP start falling in chunks away! Then as she continues to round, and is seen again poking at the beast, does she start to slow once more

Kauchemar is starting to think that opting for a staff was a good choice. Of course this is just your generic sorcerer's staff, nice enough but nothing too flashy. Wait until she gets what she really has in mind.

But that's later. Right now it's beating up fishy fiends. "No one called for audience participation!" she snarks, even as she hooks one with the staff and flings him back into the stands. Eventually the flood of foes comes to an end, and while roughed up she's still standing, with an expression suited to the predator in darkness her monster basis is.

Thankfully the fight isn't quite over as the Not-Doc-Ock barges onto the scene. "Oh, looks like we've got one more act to go." Heliotropic eyes flicker with spectral energy. The staff is held in one hand to the side, while she makes arcane gestures with a flourish with the other.

"Ring the halls when darkness falls
Fleeting hearts when trouble calls
Lined up and taking stock
Tick tock, clock block"

She unleashes the surge of negative energy towards the octo-brawler that washes over him, and abruptly the timers on several of his abilities stall, preventing them from being used.

"DEAD STOP!"

The monster eventually seems to catch on, perhaps understand that Haru's barrier is best left alone, and ignores the Artificer -- even if the octopus's HP is in the yellow by now, the tide turns in its favor again, as the many-limbed blows it returns to Sumisu, Goldenblade, and Shenmi score a net an advantage for him.

But fear not, for Kauchemar is here to restore proper debuffing, and what a show it is when she does! The dark surge stops its abilities, and the DPS in the team (or, at least, the ones who are actively dealing damage) can resume a concerted attack!

After a long and difficult battle, the party is victorious over the Colosseum Champion! Upon its defeat, the Sahuagin start to swarm in, screeching in outrage and anger. The champion that was formerly their foe unleashes a wave of water to knock the Sahuagin away, leaving the party an escape route. As they flee, it bows towards them, and the party finds their pocket a little heavier with some sort of token.