Duty Session 83: Spinner's End

The Landers in the Town of Beginnings seem to have a never ending string of trouble that comes their way. A few of the local Lander blacksmiths have complained that they are struggling to get the raw ore that they need. Apparently, the nearby mines have been overwhelmed with beasts and monsters, making it hard for the miners to continue their excavation efforts. It blips as an optional side-quest with a reward of improving the available resources in the Town of Beginnings.

Difficulty:    Moderate
Rec. Party:    3+
Rewards:       2
World Rewards: Increases in mining efficiency in Town of Beginnings.

Pela Clarpuff
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0


     Late night. What better time to go to a mine full of spiders, right? Outside of the mine, Pela has made her way quietly to the entrance, carefully looking into it and examining those webs. Hm. Could she stealth it and just sneak past to explore the mines? No. Probably best to actually clear it out, so she makes the effort to put out a call for a party to do so. After all, not much point in trying to explore if she just ends up dying or something and losing her exp and equipment.
Hifumi
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

    Hear's the call for a party and well he neds to get more resources for his work, and that means duties. Sure he was much more of a solo but ETO isn't structured the same as ETOffline was, it isn't balanced for solos to run dungeons even if they're a summoning class. So spider hunting it is tonight it seems.
Jazuhanzu
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

Chimlinks had Jazz agreeing to help Pela out with her mission, whatever that is. Jazz was sort of nonchalantly agreeable about the whole thing. It's not until she's present, staring atq the mine entrance, that she sighs *heavily*.

"/Oh/," she says, giving her head an adjustment. She wants to pull it down over her eyes. Her tentacle tips are twitching.
Silver Knight
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

Silver Knight had also got the call for help while he has yet to meet any of these people? It was time to stretch his legs and help our The New World Alliance. Given his experience as a tank that should be useful for them. he would pause looking over Hifumi, Pela and Jaz in turn.

"Greetings I am Silver Knight of Silver Sword." The man himself is glad in light armour, with a skull faceplated helment with two ruby red eye crystals and bull horns.
Pela Clarpuff
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0


     Ah good, there's one person. Pela shifts slightly, quietly pushing back her anxiety to wave towards him as he approaches, breathing slowly. Hm. She doesn't really recognize him as of yet, but hopefully he's useful. Meanwhile, Jazuhanzu approaches, which gets a small smile and a little bit more energetic wave. Just a little bit though. "...Welcome. ...Did not think I could solo. Useful for area, too." Pela adds with a small nod. Silver Sword in particular gets another good nod. Oh good, a tank! SHe hasn't seen many of those yet!

     She turns towards the entrance, squinting her eyes a bit. "Will probably be fine." She adds with a simple nod, absently going through some of the stuff around the cart. Nothing really of use, and she already has pickaxes if they're needed. She waits just a little while to ensure that everyone has arrived before she equips her twin blades and activates her Stealth skill to begin to move in. Eventually... they come to a side room that has been thoroughly raided by dogs, apparently! They're... not particularly aggressive though, which is good. Pela, meanwhile, looks over them.

     "...Hm." She draws her blades as she looks at them, thinking of options. "...Maybe..." She quickly pulls out some food and tosses it to distract the dogs.

     The dogs, meanwhile, /are/ growling defensively, but don't... necessarily seem to be too fond of the idea of attacking the adventurers. That is... until she can dart in and smack them with the flat end of her twin blades and knock one of them out.
Hifumi
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

    Hifumi sees ... dogs gone wild? "Well.. I guess it's better than flaming skelletons or something." He just runs through a few quick menu commands, no need to waste the good tasting food after all. He tosses a few grilled steaks off to one side and just wanders past the dogs and into the mine entrance.
Jazuhanzu
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

"...dogs?" says Jazz after a moment on seeing them. She blinks as Pela wallops them, not seeming to fond of the idea.

"Here, puppers," she says, herself, tossing some spare fish buns there way that she got from someone the other day. They are, after all, cracker food but the dogs won't be able to tell the difference, being that this is what they're used to. They'll let her pass with that, and she smoothly strides past them without further difficulty.

...except for the fact they start booping her for more. "No, no. Here! Catch! Go!" She throws more of them out into the field, away.

"Go be free!"

A heavy sigh.

"God, I miss dogs..." Still, dogs are dogs and they'll follow their stomach, and definitely steer away from someone who can knock them out.
Silver Knight
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

Things do not go so well for the Silver Knight but he takes it in stride as he's trying to fend the dogs off, he does take pains to not /hurt/ them though he ends up getting a bit chewed on for his efforts. The rest of the party does far better about it.

"Well that ... ended well enough."

He looks over to the party as the Dogs get the heck out of dodge and he wonders if they are far wiser than they are. He'll move on ahead keeping with the front line of the party. Though if anyone sees him from behind the's some wireframe where the dogs bit him on the rear...
Pela Clarpuff
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0


     A mostly effective defeat of the dogs! Hifumi throws steak which distracts them and lets him pass, as well as ... something about flaming Skeletons? Pela gives him a bit of a look. "...Where did you encounter those?" She asks curiously.

     Meanwhile, Jazz doesn't just distract the dogs, she /befriends/ the one that hasn't been smacked upside the head by Pela. She kind of suddenly feels bad for smacking the one she did. "...Hitting dogs doesn't feel good." ._. Perhaps Jaz can gather a dog for later??

     Probably not, really. Of course, Silver Knight DEFINITELY isn't befriending them. Something about something on his armor or /something/ annoys the dogs, which of course results in said chewing and nipping.

     Moving on, however, they come across the giant cavern that is the next challenge. Webbed up and full of boulders, the mine is seemingly impassable. Pela hums a moment as she looks around, trying to check for a way forward. "Hm... how do we... oh." She sniffs a bit at the air. "...Gotta move the rock probably... let's see..." She takes a deep breath, beginning to push against the boulder as hard as she can, attempting to dislodge and roll it out of the way. "...Heavy..." She mumbles.
Hifumi
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

    Hifumi smiles looking at the wall. "Flaming Skelletons...hmm I'm pretty sure that ETOffline." he says "Been a long while since I've run across something like that, was just you know... pointing out that it could be worse. Course these are noobie quests so." he shrugs.

    The man makes a few gestures drawing the runes needed in the area. "Snakeroot. Come." he says. A viper made of roots and scaled in green diamond shaped leaves. White flowers make its eyes and thorns make its fangs. "Go on, find a way through and make a path." he says. The snake makes it's way and starts using it's prodigious earth strength to start moving the boulders.
Jazuhanzu
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

Obviously, Jazz is just twee enough that the dogs love her.

She will never admit this if anyone asks. Anyway, she moves ahead right up until they come up to the webs adn boulders and slowly raises her hand to hre face, as if to say 'of course' without actually saying it out loud.

Body language, ya know.

With a heavy sigh, she flicks through her menu of options and then proceeds to use her earth tremor abilities to vibrate apart the boulders blocking their way. It seems to be working well enough as they crack and splitner, but it's slow going for her to avoid, you know, -a cave in-.
Silver Knight
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

Silver knight will look over the Rock-slide thinking for a moment of how he might best work his way through the tunnel. He looks over to Pela for a moment.

"I think I will carry some jerky in the future should we attempt this place again."

He doesn't seem to judge Pela for it at the mention of the Flaming Skeletons.

"The Magma fields near the Fire Lord's Lair if I recall right?"

He looks over and attempts to find his way and attempt to use several earth spells to move the rocks but magic is not his strong suit and he doesn't make much headway on this.
Pela Clarpuff
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0



    Pushing seems to be working to a degree from Pela! It's moving a tiny bit, though not enough to let anyone through. "Oh. Yeah. Just wondering where would be here." She muses to herself a bit. "Interested." And then the Snakeroot begins to push the boulder, moving it more... and more... Pela could probably slip through the gap right now, but she's smol and the others are ... not necessarily quite so small, except maybe Jazz. Still, it would just need another little push to get through it!

    Aaaand... Jazz provides that push by breaking apart some of the rocks making it difficult to roll the boulder out of the way, which rolls down a small incline and... the boulder suddenly disappears out of view as the party watches it, the only sound after it disappearing being a loud THUD that shakes some dust from the roof above them, as well as a few rocks. Still, no cave-in. "...Remember that place. Their bones, useful for smithing in old game. Everburning Bones, added small crafting bonus if used with furnace." She muses out loud towards Silver Knight. "...Wonder where boulder went?" She moves forward after the boulder to check it out and gives a soft exhale. "Oh no. Do not think boulder did it but... is far jump." She says, looking down the large gap where the boulder fell down to. Luckily there's that pile of wood, but Pela doesn't have any woodworking or construction skills, so she just takes a deep breath, steps back a few steps, and starts to run forward at high speeds, leaping at the last second, and exploding briefly into a burst of lightning.
Pela Clarpuff
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0


     And Pela is on the other side of the chasm, turned around with her arms out to try to help catch anyone who jumps after her, or ready to help get any bridge-making attempts as best as she can.
Jazuhanzu
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

IF this were an anime (and who are we kidding it's totally an anime), a little sweatdrop would appear over Jazz's head when she sees the chasm.

She looks steamed for a moment and then pulls up her long coats edges, so as to ensure she does not trip. She starts a dead run towards the edge, swearing under her breath, her tentacles and hair flailing behind her as she runs.

She gives a grunt and then pushes off the edge with her feet and goes sailing over the gap, crashing in an unceremonious heap on the other side.

"Owwwwwwwwwww," she groans.
Hifumi
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

    Hifumi tosses Snakeroot across. The backs up, makes a run and jumps. He hits chest first, arms over the edge of the other side and starts to slide into the abyss. His feet kick and scrabble. "Well shit...." he finaly makes it up rather than falling into the chasm with the help of Pela and Snakeroot, who has it's fangs hooked in his sleave and it's tail around a rocky outcropping.
Pela Clarpuff
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0


     Silver Knight makes it across, seems everyone decides the jump option. Which... honestly Pela looks a bit surprised when the Silver Knight successfully makes it across the chasm. "...Armor, apparently not that negative effecting of movement." She comments towards Silver Knight, giving a slight nod. And then... Jazuhanzu sprints and jumps across. When she lands and seems to sprawl out into a heap of pain, Pela gives her a concerned look. "...Are you okay?" She asks her. Well, everything's fine now... Until...

Hifumi jumps. When he looks like he's not going to make it, Pela leaps immediately into action, reaching out with one hand towards him, and another hand to grab onto a section of the bridge to keep herself from falling too. As he kicks and pushes himself up, she pulls as hard as she can, the leverage isn't great since she's so short, but at least the earth snake is helping ensure that their party member doesn't fall eternally down into the chasm. "...Do not scare like that. Would be bad if you had to resurrect at church."

And then they're into a giant room full of webs, and spider egg-sacks, and guardian spiders. Well then! It's a very fun room really. One that isn't terrible at all. Pela takes a deep breath, before wrapping herself in shadows and slipping through the room quickly to get through the spiders. And then she turns to see...
Hifumi
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

    Hifumi looks around. "Ooh.... I hate this kind of thing... chloromancers aren't made for sneaking." he says and starts to 'sneak' across with Snakeroot wrapped around his shoulders. He even does the exagerated tip toe that really doesn't help sneaking... about halfway across the room the chef get's his foot tangled, he twists and falls over. And his luck continues to prove that things fall on Hifumi.

    In this case, it's one of the spider guards. He kicks and punches at it, and snake root gives it an earth powered whollop sending the spider flying. Into an egg sack that rolls down and breaks open directly ontop of Hifumi, spilling out tiny spiders leaving him flailing in a pile of wiggly legs and biting fangs.
Jazuhanzu
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

Big spider guards, lots of litle spiders. When the tiny spiders erupt all over Hifumi, she squeaks in panic and flails backwards, her darkening magic ruined by the windmilling arms of panic which briefly overtake her.

.... what does this do? Why, it causes more spiders, since she's tugging webs and whatq not. MORE TINY SPIDERS AND HATCHING EGGS>

It is a cascase off cavernous cacophany, alerting all the things!

'Oh /no/," groans Jazz.

Even her oh-no sounds cute and adorable.
Silver Knight
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

Silver Knight makes it across the gap safely and comes in for a landing he looks at Pela for a moment and smiles.

"I have been rather adept at being mobile in armour, I have had a long time to practice."

Notes tho0ugh Silver Knight only wear partial plate rather than full which might account for the old veteran's unexpected mobility. Then comes the spiders he'll attempt to avoid getting a horde of spiders on him it does not go well. It does not go well at all.

Silver Knight is covered in spider and his response is not cute at all it's rather AHHHHHHHHHH more than anything else.
Pela Clarpuff
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

     Chaos. That's what she's turned around to. Hifumi tripped and fell on the ground, and is currently covered in spiders, and is possibly stuck. Jazz is freaking out because Hifumi tripped and fell and is covered in spiders. The spider guards are awake and trying to eat Hifumi and Jazz now. Tiny spiders are everywhere and probably hungry. Pela, meanwhile, can't help but give a long sigh, covering her face as she takes a deep breath. Oh good. Everyone is stuck in chaos right now. E v e r y o n e. "..." She is tempted to just turn and walk on, but that sounds like a terrible idea at the same time. Maybe Silver Knight is faring okay? Maybe??? Nope. Nope he's covered in spiders. And screaming. "...Okay." And then... Pela gets to work.

     First, she's wading through to free Hifumi's earth snake and Hifumi, mostly just because they're closer. And just... it feels like it takes hours from there. So many spiders. So much spider guts. So many legs. Don't even ask where all the legs get into people's armor and body and just... all of them probably are pretty injured by the end of an extremely long and drawn-out fight.

     And every step of it is an awful, horrid fight. Until finally. FINALLY. Everyone is freed, the guardians are defeated, and the baby spiders are probably only partially covering every inch of everyone's body, but it's gotten to the point where there's too many to bother and they'll just have to spend an hour or two after the dungeon cleaning themselves of spiders. Or just set themselves on fire. Or something. Don't mind that slight nibble on the back of your head, it's just the baby spiders trying to take over your brain.

     FINALLY. They have to cut their way through thick spider webbing just to get to the boss room. Which is... strangely free of spider webs. Probably because it's a boss room, really. And there is a giant spider boss. Which is dripping poisonous venom and all that nonsense. Pela just looks tired when she looks at it, as if she's tired of its bullshit.

     "...Let's do this." She says, and then she just straight up sprints towards the spider, to slide under it, and stab it repeatedly in whatever passes for a heart of the thing with her daggers.
Hifumi
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0



    Hifumi has also kind of had it... twenty minutes of tiny spiders and spider guards and all the nibbles and poison. He makes a few gestures, sharp motions to draw his runes. "Tiger Lilly...come. Hey little bud... go... just kill that thing." he says and sends the small flowery feline in to assault the giant spider. The little thing all thorn fang and thorn claw, like a terrible ball of roses or something. Just going ham on spider.
Jazuhanzu
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

"...oh god not this guy again," groans Jazz.

MMOs are things of frequent repitition and, well, that's no less true when you're actively trapped in an MMO world. She pulls on the brim of her hat with a sour expression and proceeds to raise water-shields to defend from the acid.

Only, instead, she gets thunked over the head with a limb by the great spider and sent flying into a webs and them into a wall, leaving her (cutely) struggling to get out from under all of it. "Nngh! Argh! DAMN IT!"
Silver Knight
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0

Silver Knight is still sharking off the spiders as they come into the next era with the massive spider. He does one heck of a leap into the air and comes down with his blade to slice into it with a lot of force and a surpising amount of skill to those who mighht now know just how long he's been playing VR games.

"Your time has come creature."
Pela Clarpuff
Overworld - -5 - 2 - 0


     The boss puts up a glorious fight! The players band together to fight it off with daggers, snakes, and swords! There's a worrying moment when Jazuhanzu is poisoned, but in the end the battle is won and the spider is destroyed! The snake goes and bites and claws the boss, making it lose health rapidly, while Silver Knight leaps up to stab it in its skull, until it explodes into its loot and exp!

     And then Pela goes over to help cut Jazz down from the wall and pull her away from it, carefully cleaning her off as best as the smol cat can do. "...Victory." She says with a small flashed smile. "...Are you okay? Here." She gives her a tiny cut piece of itadori root. "...Terrible healing, but pain reducing."