(no subject)

[lucetimods]

Who: Those who elected to go explore the desert ruins.
What: This thing here!
When: Saturday, June 21st,
Where: The desert ruins!
Summary: The ocean vanished, and a group of adventurers have decided to take it upon themselves to investigate the area while they have the chance.
Rating: PG-13, with ever so lovely hints of full-blown R.
The beach party is in full swing, going swimmingly- and then all at once nobody is swimming, because the ocean has disappeared! Or so it appears...

Miles and miles from the absence of a shoreline, the old desert temple stands in all its glory. Though it has been more than five years since any remaining Luceti resident caught a glimpse of the temple in the sun, it appears largely unchanged, untouched by water or time. Indeed, one might say it looks better than it did on the last expedition, if one had the wherewithal to notice.

The easily-accessible temple rooms resemble what faint memories Lucetians may have: worn markings on the walls; torn, faded draperies hanging between doorways and around the rooms; the remnants of furniture, unusable and crumbling, some to the point that its primary function is impossible to discern. The exploration tents of times past are gone, and their technology with them. Nothing is out of the ordinary for your garden-variety ancient desert temple... on the surface.

Should an enterprising explorer venture through some of the darker inner chambers and find one of the rooms meant for “worship,” he or she would find a slightly more sinister atmosphere if only because of recent events also involving a raised stone dais and the rituals thereof. In these rooms there are the accoutrements of ceremony: broken pots, ritual texts damaged beyond salvaging or reading, glass-ball candles lacking fuel or burnable wicks. If entered fully, the room might seem a little ominous and imposing. But that's all in your head, no need to worry – shouldn't all rooms so clearly designed for sacrifice bring about that sort of reaction?

Really, all seems settled and ordinary, if a little too new and too peaceful. There isn't likely to be anything of interest that differs from the Lucetians' previous foray... right?

Comments

[deathsdoctor]

[Somehow seeing this place laid bare in the daylight is more unsettling than seeing it underwater, lit by Nami's torches, from the deck of the Shinonome. The pirate's seen it as shadows in the dark many a time; this should not illicit such a reaction. But it does.

Law, being one of a group of people arriving at the ruins, (by some method or other), contents himself for the moment with circling the building slowly, before going inside. He's brought a camera you see, along with a notepad. A thorough documentation begins with the exterior.]

[whiskytraitorfirefight]

[Yo. Ginia waves at Law and heads over to him, her cellphone already in hand. Exploring ruins isn't quite her thing, but she's definitely not passing up the opportunity. The more information the better.

She reaches into the bag slung over her shoulder and pulls out a retractable tape measure. Care to help take some measurements?]

[fellpool]

[Leon approaches Law as he's working on making his way inside, brows knitting together thoughtfully. He gestures to the inner areas with his chin, his tone casual despite the desolate and mysterious atmosphere.]

Ever been here before, Doc?

[voidseeing]

[There's something about the temple that makes the hairs on the back of Gai's neck stand on end. Every last inch of it exudes a subtle feeling of something wrong, even if he can't quite identify just what that something is. Maybe it's because he's had three experiences with death by now; maybe not. Maybe it's just him being paranoid.

There's one way he can find out, though. He and Law are always on the same page about things, so if there's anyone's judgment he trusts, it's the pirate's.

That's why Law is the first person he goes in search of once he's snapped a few photos of the exterior with his cellphone. Good thing he doesn't have to go far.]

This place is about as charming as a haunted house.

[whiskytraitorfirefight]

[Exploring ancient ruins isn't in Ginia's area of expertise, but knowledge is knowledge and it would be a shame to pass up a chance to explore and take a bit more. And maybe, just maybe, it's a good chance to live out a dream of Indiana Jones-style adventuring.

After hitching a ride to the ruins, Ginia takes her time outside snapping pictures. She has a leather bag slung over her shoulder and across her chest filled with notepads, pens and pencils, a few pieces of charcoal and crayons to copy any etchings or markings, two flashlights with extra batteries, a tape measure, and three bottles of water and some granola bars and dried fruit. Feel free to grab supplies from her.

Inside the temple, she takes her time taking pictures, writing down notes, and taking measurements. She treads carefully, touches and moves very little, and silently hopes they don't unleash some sort of sealed evil on the village.]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Going by old sketches is not quite the same as circling the ruins and beholding them for yourself. Albert pauses in his surveying of the temple's outer walls when he sees Ginia taking pictures. He calls out as he approaches.]

Would it be possible to get copies of your pictures?

[chikaidestroyer]

[When he had heard that the ocean disappeared, Albert was of course intrigued. After all, it had been years since the desert had been shifted into a more appropriate shape to hold the displaced water from the underwater facility's unfortunate destruction, and to behold the desert again was certainly a sight.

One that he had not been able to appreciate by air before, for that matter.

His giant owl fluffs its feathers irritatedly against the desert sands, and Albert pats its wing as he walks towards the ruins. A quick look by the light of day, he told himself. He could probably come back at night to take a look then, as well.]

[deathsdoctor]

[Oh, you've brought out your giant fluffy owl, Mister Albert. Excuse Law here as he's reminded about the other owl problem. Clearly if things continue, they need to throw their local owl whisperer at Wan Shi Tong. Clearly.

Bil will get a pat if the owl allows it. Because... fluffy. Otherwise Law will stroll up, hands in his pockets, and eyeing the temple with an appraising eye.]

Been a while since this thing's seen the light of day. I'd say it's in good condition for a giant fish castle, but I don't see a trace of water damage on it.

... wonder how far back this time shift's gone. It's in awfully good condition for a ruined building altogether.

[voidseeing]

[The giant owl is interesting, but Gai isn't here to talk about or investigate birds. Still, it earns a slight quirk of his lips, because Albert isn't someone that Gai would previously have considered a pet person. There are comments he could make about that... later.

Right now, he's more interested in the temple, and he knows that the strategist has been around long enough to know more about the structure than he does.]

Have you been here before?

[corrinesbell]

[Sheena will reserve her opinion of owl rides for later.

Standing on sand that belongs underwater but is clearly drier than bones feels weird. When she walks into the temple itself, catching stale air just inside the open door, Sheena shivers. This is really familiar, and her eyes scan the room as they adjust to the dimmer light, but nothing looks less than stereotypical creepy stone temple.

She'll wait for Albert to catch up.]

Hey. I've got a question.

[fellpool]

[Leon chews on his lower lip, somewhat nervous as he approaches the temple. Despite being around Luceti for so long, he had only ever seen the temple ruins when it was underwater; making the trek across the desert just to see something other people had looked at seemed ... pretty unnecessary, especially back when more advanced technology was scarce to them.

Going to the ruins wasn't even an idea he would have considered if not for the fact that it was part of "old Luceti." The tunnels had been a part of "old Luceti" as well, and they found those extra rooms with the help of Precis and the shades she'd received for ... well, "dying for the greater good."

It was something of a bad joke that the shades had lasted longer in Luceti than Precis had.

He pulls the dark frames from his satchel and looks at them contemplatively before carefully putting them on. It takes some fiddling around to keep them perched on his head, with his lack of human ears.]

[feistytrader]

[Silver wasn't too invested in exploring the ruins- they've already been explored, haven't they? Will they really find something different?- but since Hilda wanted to go and planned on taking Crys along, the idea of him coming along sounded a whole lot better. Who knows. Maybe they'll learn something.

The three of them are about to take off- Hilda and Crys are comfortably seated on top of his Gyarados' head- but it's a long ways away, and a bunch of other people seem to want to head over. He should at least offer some help.

So he takes a deep breath and yells out to anyone that cares to hear it.]

If anyone needs a ride to the ruins, I've got room for plenty on Gyarados. [Gyarados, that giant sixty foot long red sea snake thing that's resting on the beach. That Gyarados. He does his best to grin and look friendly.]

[deathsdoctor]

[Is that a Sea King? Poke-world Sea King?]

I'm game if you're offering.

[hotboss]

[Who's that calling out? Giovanni brushes dust off his sleeves and looks towards the obvious giant murdersnake in the distance. Sure can't miss that.

It's not just a murdersnake, he realizes - it's the biggest Gyarados he's ever seen, and even a rare shiny version of it. Who on earth was able to find such a thing? (Or, with how he's usually seen shiny Pokemon, who was able to create or steal it?)

No criminal leader is going to pass on an opportunity to check this out, especially if it's tame enough to be approached. Its Trainer must be a strong one indeed. He holds his hat up and waves it towards whoever's on the creature's head.] Over here!

[whiskytraitorfirefight]

[The Gyarados is a pretty impressive sight by itself. But when there's an offer for a ride?

...Why yes, Ginia would like a ride on top of the long red sea snake. She heads over and gives a friendly wave.]

[mischiefbreeder]

[Gold hadn't planned on going. Old ruins just weren't on his list of interests. Never have been, never will be. Dwelling on the past just wasn't his scene.

But the fact that Silver and Crys were both going kind of meant that he HAD to go too. He couldn't let them go by themselves, especially not after the huge fuss he raised about not letting them do that ever again.]

No thanks. I've got my own ride. [Togetaro's not much for seating multiple people though.]

[beastofthesea]

[Since Lugia had been in the middle of the ocean that vanished, he had soon discovered the existence of the ruins. He also knew there was a lot of people on the shore having a party, thus after making his discovery he went to tell the others. Maybe someone would know something about it?

But it seems that most wished to go explore it for themselves, and so the large Pokemon offered rides to anyone who needed it. He's a swift flier and would get people there in a relatively short amount of time.

Anyone needing a ride is welcome to it, and when it seems there's no one else, he will perch on top of a part of the ruins. That is if there's any that doesn't look like it would crumble under his weight. He will watch the humans wander about and explore asking questions since he's too large to go in there himself.]

[fellpool]

[Leon is on his way up the stairs to the entrance of the temple when he spots Lugia because-- well, it was rather difficult not to notice Lugia with his size. He stops and waves in greeting, brows drawing together worriedly as he finds himself wondering if the stone could support the creature's weight.

Fortunately, the temple structure is very sturdy despite its apparent age.]

[savedtheworld]

[Aang wasn't a fan of deserts by any means; he's had some of his worst memories within one. But once he realizes what happened to the ocean and has heard about the ruins, he sees a rare opportunity for adventure within the enclosure. And he wonders if he could find some answers within the place.

So, Aang will be herding any interested friends onto the back of Appa, and the bison will give them a smooth ride through the desert towards the ruins. And once they arrive there? It's exploration time!]

[justdid]

[Wan likes to go on adventures. But he loves going on flying bison rides. Even if a giant desert was not the most exciting scenery. Just the fact that he is riding a giant animal that can fly is one of the best things ever.

Sorry if anyone wanted a smooth and quiet ride.]

Appa! You're amazing!

[He shouts towards the front, while leaning off the side of the saddle like a dog sticking his head out the window]

[windandrain]

[Getting to the ruins themselves is easy enough for Saori, with so many willing to offer a ride and the capacity for flight herself, though if anyone does need one, she's happy to seat them on a cloud and bring them along. Once there, however, she quickly becomes most interested in the inner areas of the ruins. The outer parts are curious, naturally, but the areas specific to the crumbling ruin's more sinister purpose bring out a morbid curiosity in the goddess.

It's easy enough to imagine the dais slick with blood, walls echoing with the screams of the damned and those waiting to die. A horrible vision, made no easier by recent events. More than once, Saori stops and leans against the wall, shivering as if she feels an unseen eye on her. It's unnerving, but not enough to stop her from poking around, examining the remaining implements and wondering why no algae had collected anywhere within.

Her investigations are aided by a sketchbook, where she maps each chamber meticulously, sketching highlights such as the dais for future reference. And she also starts cataloging what she can of the remaining ritual implements, generally fairly careful to avoid touching them, since they may be tainted in some way.]

[whiskytraitorfirefight]

[Saori's not alone in the sacrificial chamber. Ginia is there as well, taking more pictures, jotting down more notes, checking the occasional measurement. She smiles lightly at Saori and raises a hand in greeting.]

/It's dreadful around here, isn't it./ [The purpose of the room, the flickering feeling of being watched, the general dread of expecting the worst in a place like the temple, take your pick.]

[sosayi]

[Hilda thought the ride on Gyarados was simply amazing - such a large creature, yet he was quite gentle - but it was time for Business now. The worn markings, the crumbling furniture, the drapes... It, like much in the world, reminds her of home. Though less lavish.

She'll be studying the marks and committing them to memory the best she can. And perhaps taking some of the drapes with her, folded carefully on the arm she's holding her trust staff with.


But she's itching to see further in as well. Luckily, said staff is able to glow in the dark! So the princess will think on it a bit - should she simply go alone? - and finally come to the decision to offer her services to those that require a light source - on the condition that they tell her anything they know regarding the ruins.

If they don't, they simply have to help her carry anything she may wish to collect while in the ruins.]

[feistytrader]

[Business. Who likes business? He likes business. Much better than impromptu family stuff. Business sound great.

And he's on a mission to watch the princess and make sure she's okay- even if she might have some cool powers or something like everyone else here and has a pretty sweet glowing staff and really probably doesn't need his help exploring some creepy ruins.]

Lead the way, Princess.

[stilldontgotit]

[Riku never got a good look at the temple during his early days in the village, so he was hardly about to pass up an opportunity like this. After a lengthy journey, he stands at the entrance of the temple with his Keyblade in hand and Komory Bat perched on his shoulder. Taking a deep breath, he flicks his weapon, sparking a small, orange flame at the tip and transforming his weapon into a makeshift torch.

Anyone needing a light source is welcome to follow along. Otherwise, Riku will take off, wandering the temple and shining his light along the walls.

In one room, he wanders up to a broken piece of furniture, brushing his hand against its surface. The arm of the chair crumbles, and he recoils.]

...Okay, note to self: don't touch anything.

[Whether alone or with company, Riku will continue wandering until, at last, he stumbles upon the inner chambers and promptly freezes.

Stone dais. Scattered texts left illegible by time... something about the room screams foreboding, and there's a nagging voice in Riku's head telling him to turn back. But he doesn't. Instead, he pushes on, crouching over one of the damaged texts. Prodding at a glass-ball candle...]

So this is how they do sacrifices...

[He shudders and gulps. Hot off the heels of the draft, this room feels too close for comfort.]

[wise_maiden]

[While there's definitely an ominous feeling about being in the ruins so soon after the experience on the draft...

There's probably something even more ominous when Raine has taken off to do her own exploring, making fresh notes and comparing them to her old ones, caught up in the thrill of having ruins available again, regardless of what they pertain to --]

This is incredible! The structure should have been damaged by the water, and yet it seems even more intact than before...!

[ Annnd... off she goes. Hopefully someone can keep up with her. Or several someones. ]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Raine's housemate doesn't even try to keep up with her; while he had given her an intense reprimand after the first expedition out to the desert ruins years ago, there have been several advancements in Luceti since then that have made this expedition much more tolerable by comparison.

Flying mounts. Some people with the ability to teleport. Electronic devices. To name a few things.

So he's just going to do his own exploring for awhile. But it's fairly inevitable that they'll meet up somewhere inside the ruins, with the way she's running around everywhere.]

PART TWO

[corrinesbell]

[After a few hours, most of the intrepid desert explorers may find themselves dissatisfied but ultimately finished with an exploration of the temple interior. Though there may be more to explore, they have to balance their efforts with the knowledge that the displaced ocean water could return and drown them all. Despite discoveries made on the stone dais that would be worth exploring, everyone steps outside upon hearing about a possible trap needing to be triggered. Once the evacuation of the temple finishes with everyone safely outside, Law pushes the old rusty lever at the back of the structure.

For the space of a breath and a half, nothing happens at all.

Then, slowly, the entire temple rises into the air, shedding sand and loose pebbles as it moves. The surrounding sand of the desert begins to fill the void left by the rising structure, creating a moving downward-slope funnel with no handholds to speak of. Anyone too near the temple after liftoff will have a very hard time keeping their head above water, so to speak. The entire structure lifts from the sand, revealing as it does that the ground-level floor is not the lowest: a significant portion of stone and dirt, like an iceberg in reverse, hangs beneath the chiseled facade once visible above the desert sand. Very quickly, it reaches a height which would make jumps difficult, and then impossible (of course, anyone close enough to jump is probably caught in a whorl of descending sand).

It stops, finally, soundlessly, at a point in the air that must seem arbitrary from the ground. For now. Part and parcel of such a dramatic change in landscape, the loose bits and pieces of sacred-worship detritus within have, no doubt, rolled and shifted out of their original places.]

Just prior to the temple rising

[fellpool]

[While waiting for this "possible trap" to be sprung, Leon faces the others who had evacuated and reports the findings he and Law had discovered in the chamber with the stone dais.]

Hey everyone. If you went far enough into the temple, you've probably seen that room with the stone altar. Apparently there's some sort of piece missing on it. Something concave, like a sphere, that can fit into the palm of your hand.

[For emphasis, he raises his hand.]

I'm not saying there's any certainty that we'll actually find the piece if we go back into the ruins, but there has to be a reason that something like that was hidden on the altar.

[Was that even the best way to describe it? Hn. He clears his throat and continues.]

Anyway, if you'd like to stay and help search, please do. ...You know, if the temple doesn't blow up in the next few minutes or something.

USING THE KEYSTONE

[voidseeing]

[Naturally, the announcement of the missing piece in the stone dais had only further spurred Gai's desire to keep on investigating the temple. Something sphere-like wasn't just a piece that had broken off somehow, not in a place like this. It was most likely a key, and if it was still in the temple somewhere, Gai wanted to find it.

Finding it proved to be about as much of a challenge as he'd expected, but at last he'd found something that fit the description tucked away in an alcove in a dark corner and disguised as part of the wall carvings. There was no proof it was the object in question, of course. All he had to go on was gut instinct, and right now his intuition was pretty certain they'd hit the jackpot.

Only one way to find out for sure.

It takes a bit of searching to round up the others who are still present and exploring. Fortunately there isn't a need for much convincing once he tells them what he's found, and before long a group has convened in the room in question in front of the dais.]

Might as well have some company if we're about to open Pandora's Box.

USING THE KEYSTONE

[deathsdoctor]

...

[Pandora's box? Gotta be another Earth thing. One with a relevant story or a movie/pop culture reference like Masaomi makes sometime. Either way it's sailing right over his head as new Earth references tend to do.]

... I'm not sure what that is, but I'm ready when everyone else is.

[He's got said keystone in his hands as he looks down at the altar with the shift detecting glasses. It feels heavy in his hands.]