The White Catacombs

[genpcs]

Who: Open to all
What: Adventure!
Where: The White Catacombs
When: January 29th - February 5th
Warnings: None at the moment




The White Catacombs had seen better days. In the distant past, the place was beautiful. It was filled with people coming and going, trading and discussing magical artifacts. It could have easily become one of the primer locations for mages like the Ivory Tower is.

Jump to now, and the place is still a sight to behold. It is still beautiful in a way. Just looking at it, you can imagine what it must have looked like in it's prime. But you can't just stand around and sight see. There are monsters lurking throughout the multiple levels of the place.

On The First Floor you will find Skeleton Hordes, Ghouls, Flame Snakes, Dire Bats and Effgies.

On The Second Floor Dire Wolves, Twig Blights, Firebats, Soul Eaters, Akata, Astradaemon, and Giant Snakes.

On the third floor you will find Dust Wights, Gargoyles, Stone Spikes, Carnivorous Plants and Gargoyles.


On the fourth floor, you find nothing. That is to say, there aren't any monsters here. When you reach the bottom of the stares, you come into a corridor. At the end of the corridor is a door. Push, pull, hit, use any manner of magic or abilities on the door to your hearts content, but it does not open. Any attempt to use a travel type ability to get beyond it causes you to be bounced out of the White Catacombs entirely.

Around the door are sigils, writing that glows faintly. If one stares at them, when they finally take their eyes from them, they might find that they have been staring at it for ten minutes or even an hour without knowing.


[ooc: This is an open log for everyone to log out their White Catacombs adventures if they want. Note in the subject line of your tag if it is open to all characters or closed to certain ones. Be sure to check the Newspaper before posting here.]

Comments

Open to all

[notquitedracula]

[When he'd shown up and looked over the two groups, it quickly became obvious to Soma that his personal skills leaned more toward the Arcane Knights' methodology. So, here he was, at the entrance to the catacombs, looking over his weapon options. In the interest of fairness, he wasn't bringing his entire arsenal - after all, this was supposed to be a contest between mages, not warriors. He belted on Kaladbolg, then slipped the crossbow Sakuya had given him into his coat. Where it went from there is anyone's guess - some sort of variation on the bag of holding, clearly. Thus armed, he added two more items to his gear - the Soul Eater and Chaos rings. Between those two, he really didn't even need the sword or bow, but he wasn't about to pick nits. He'd been ruin-crawling out here before, after all, though not in this exact place - he knew how dangerous this area could be.]

[its_dad_sanzo]

Soma! We have to stop running into each other like this!

[Yep, that's Koumyou Sanzo up ahead! Aaaaand he's just as unarmed as last time, his hands tucked into his sleeves like he's off for a peaceful walk in the park.]

[Well, no weapons except, of course, the Seiten Sutra sitting passively on his shoulders. But whether or not it's used, there's not a Sanzo priest in existence who goes anywhere without their sutra.]

[notquitedracula]

[Soma bows in greeting, smiling easily. Whether they're on the same team or not, he doesn't expect Koumyou to attack him - after all, they both know at least part of what the other is capable. And even if Soma is abjectly terrified of the idea of that Sutra being turned against him, he figures he can at least run away if need be. And... well, he's not about to admit it, but the priest's presence is reassuring. If it all goes to Hell in a handbasket (again), he figures he can count on Koumyou to do the right thing. Whatever it might be at the time.]

Where would the fun be in that? It's good to see you again. Looking for another pet?

[its_dad_sanzo]

[Koumyou bows his head in return, smiling that squinty smile of his.]

Oh, I hope not! There isn't that much room at Kouryuu's house...

[The priest starts to wander into the ruins, not at all worried about turning his back on someone on the 'other team'. Why would he be? In Sanzo training, all the candidates had been pitted each other in life or death trials all the time, often with the instructors jumping in -- to make things worse. This shit's a cakewalk.]

Arcane Knights

[kingslight]

INTO THE DARK. - FLOOR ONE.

[Control over these catacombs is absolutely necessary for the Arcane Knights to succeed. It would be a lie to claim that Regis is somewhat impartial here. The former king sides with the Arcane Knights because of how they utilize their magic and the philosophy behind their coven. While he had hoped to stay out of such affairs since the arrival of his dear son and his companions, Regis volunteered himself to attend this excurision into the dark.

He's armed with his ornate sword with the winged hilt and the magical runes running along the front of the blade, Regis very much looks like one of the alleged knights of this unknown order. Regis walks a tad stiffly with his blade drawn thanks to his bad knee but he seems to walk easily enough through the catacombs in search of his prize. The crystals, he needs to find an ample amount of crystals to ensure victory here. However, the beatened path here is littered with fiends and Regis finds himself quickly cornered by the hordes of undead skeletons who shamble towards him menacing.

He extends his hand before him and strikes down the horde with an impressive show of magic in the form of lightning. Purple sparks sizzle dangerously within the air as Regis summons bolt after bolt of thunderous lightning to rain down upon his foes. The first floor of the catacombs is just buzzing with electricity now which might be a bad thing for others. Regis is ultimately uneffected by the electrical discharge but others might not be.

Nevertheless, he presses onward with otherworldly determination.]

[liorafae]

[Liora was always looking for ways to become stronger, and these catacombs look like the perfect adventure. It's not something that she wants to do alone, but she doesn't know who to ask either. So she bites the bullet and enters the catacombs alone. After all, it'd be easy to flee if it's too much for her.]

[She presses into the catacombs, crawling low on the ground, keeping an eye out for monsters. It isn't long before she comes up behind someone vaguely familiar. Liora speeds up her crawl to try to get a closer look. And soon it dawns on her.]

...Regis...?

[kingslight]

[Regis pauses in his step once he hears someone call for him. He glances about curiously before finally noticing the little golden dragon within this dimly lit catacomb. The king smiles warmly at dear Liora as he turns fully to face her. As elegantly as one would expect of a man of his stature, the king bows courteously to Liora. Even within such an unglamorous setting, Regis finds the time to be respectful.]

Greetings onto you, Liora. I hadn't expected to see you here amongst the fiends. [At the mention of fiends, Regis cautiously takes a moment to secure the perimeter with his magic. By just the flick of his wrist, Regis summons forth a powerful white light. The brightness eventually fades and in its wake leaves a watery-like transuclent barrier around them.] This is a rather dangerous place, little one.

[His eyes shine almost as brightly as the light he summoned earlier. It's proof that he's still tapping into his magic.]

It's not safe for the uninitiated.

[liorafae]

[Liora blinks at the king, almost in confusion as he bows down to her as if she were something superior. She knows she's not superior, especially after watching him create that magical barrier. She's seen some of the other dragons casting barriers like that, and she hopes to learn it for herself one day. But that day is still far off for now.]

Um...you don't have to do that...I'm no one special...

I know this place can be dangerous, but...my own world is full of dangerous beasts as well. I have to become stronger somehow. I normally wouldn't have come here alone, but I didn't know who to ask to accompany me... I know a little bit of magic...I can heal, at least...

[That's about the only useful thing she can do right now...]

huhu

[feckinboomstick]

And while Regis filled the catacomb with unfriendly lightning bolts, a smaller, darker shape hurriedly scuttled past him, using the aforementioned magic as a distraction, both from the horde, and from the caster.

If a stray bolt ever slithered towards this figure, it'd find itself quickly dampened and snuffed with a faint, lustrous black pop from what was soon, clearly to be seen, a surrounding ward.

It was only when a flash of lightning zipped past his face that it illuminated bone white hair and a vaguely gray face, the glimmer of a pair of glasses set upon his nose.

And already clambering ahead, shotgun out, the hum of defensive magic and offensive traps filling the air as the priest activated his charms and wards.

"Thanks for openin' the path, mate!"

You fiend!

[kingslight]

Father Lynch?!

[A disapproving groan escapes Regis' once he catches a glimpse of that scoundrel's face. Honestly, was the priest tailing Regis this entire time forcing him handle the fiends so he could skirt off ahead? Goodness, how rude! Regis folds his arms over his chest and just sighs.

What is he to do with this scamp of a man? Regis is mildly humored by all this and it shows from his smirk.]

You are most welcome! However, I suppose you now realize why I needed a few days off from the shop.

[A lighthearted chuckle escapes Regis as he follows with little delay.]

Don't scamper off too far! Something might actually eat you!

[feckinboomstick]

Ye sound surprised, Regis.

[The priest side stepped a lingering skeleton, and for its trouble, a bony claw that swung too close crackled and popped off it's wrist, an activated charm making quick work of the undead creature]

Thought ye were attendin' a family reunion. Safe to say, these buggers don't look a whit like ye.

[Cassian, two thousand or not, is as spry as a twenty six year old man should be, lung problems or not, and he grows more distant, calling out as he goes]

Wouldn't be the first time someone's tried!

Roronoa Zoro - OPEN

[yourotherleft]

[You know, on most days letting Zoro into a dungeon crawl ends badly because as soon as you turn your back, he's gone and can't find his way out for three days. But when the objective is searching for as many crystals as you can find - and just kicking ass generally - this is the best time and place for it.

It's not until he gets inside that he decides it's more fun to fight people who actually use their weapons and thus, will fight for the Ravensomething-whatever.]

A for Ace

[First though he's got to wait outside for Ace to join him. Other decisions can be made later.]

...they say there's a bunch of monsters and shit in there. I don't care about these mages one way or the other, though.

B for...anyone

[Inevitably Zoro gets separated from anyone he's teamed up with and is lost, somewhere on the second floor, and gleefully slicing his way through dire wolves and giant snakes. Come up alongside him and he might just have to team up with someone new]

Nah, this is easy. Watch your back, though!

C

[Once working to find more crystals - because MORE MONEY - Zoro will actively turn on any Knight-type he sees to keep them away from the crystals. So if you're on their side - or one of them - watch out for the guy with three swords suddenly facing you directly, shoulders dropping into a ready stance]

Nothing personal, but I need as much of this as I can get. You're in my way.

A

[orangeoutlaw]

Yeah I've fought 'em. [he folds his arms. He's not dressed up for the hunting though. Other than the huge honking ax strapped to his back which is taller than he is, not to mention the blade]

We should make a wager, Roronoa.

[yourotherleft]

Oh yeah? Like what - a bottle of rum to the one who kills the most monsters?

[he's barely even dressed for January let alone dungeon crawling, but eh. He only raises an eyebrow a little at the axe, he's never known Ace to prefer weapons.]

C.

[kingslight]

You're going to regret this.

[Regis says as he outstretched his right hand before him. In a flash of white light, a sword suddenly forms within the palm of his hands that's almost as tall as him. It's a greatsword with a winged hilt and various runes etched upon the center of blade. The sword itself looks like something a knight would own but Regis is no knight. He's a king instead, one who hails from the blessed line of Lucis. Here within this realm, Regis is no longer a king but an Arcane Knight who'll fight tooth and nail for the crystal shards here.

That's why he stands before the swordsman so defiantly as he conjurers up a few spells.

Your youth won't deter me, swordsman. I advise you to take your leave.

[While Regis is certainly a bit up in his years but his strength enough to defend while the others hunt for the shards. An ethereal blue glow lingers around his glaive as he points it towards his challenger. It's an enchanted blade and Regis is quite well-versed in magic. So, his opponent better come with all his strength or face defeat.

Regis learned a few tricks since arriving to Genessia.]

[yourotherleft]

[Now this is exactly the kind of challenge Zoro has been aching for, for some time now. He pauses a moment to study the fancy sword and the man wielding it before drawing his third blade, taking it between his teeth]

Geez, what's the problem? I said it wasn't personal. But if that's what you want, I'll take you on, old man.

[far from insulted, he's thrilled. This is much more fun than cutting down dire wolves. Zoro shakes out both arms to make sure his other two swords are still ready to go, and then he lunges from his place, striking out with them one after another.]

OTA

[its_dad_sanzo]

(( OOC: I'm not terribly interested in RPing combat against other players unless I RP with you regularly! Sorry, it's stressful~ <3 Feel free to try to punk Koumyou if you want, of course. Or team up. Or both! ))

-----

Oooh...

[Who is this moron? Some guy in plain white monk robes, with a clearly-ornamental bamboo breastplate and a bit of white and green parchment over his shoulders. He's in a room on the first floor, crouched down to examine a neat bit of stone-work. Even as a flaming effigy barrels toward him from behind, the Buddhist just brushes a bit of greenery away from the wall to get a better look.]

How interesting!

[Does he even see the effigy? Who knows. It's almost right on top of him--]

OTA

[inquisitor_lavellan]

(( OOC: I'm not terribly interested in RPing combat against other players unless I RP with you regularly! Sorry, it's stressful~ <3 Feel free to try to punk Alleyana if you want, of course. Or team up. Or both! ))

-----

Well, good. Alleyana had been getting bored again with the usual mercenary work, whether that was with the silver squadron security company or otherwise. Too much standing around, and not enough fighting. It was enough to make the Inquisitor stir-crazy.

Before going in, the elf knelt down on the ground to bolt her shield onto the flat, blackened metal bar that made up her left forearm. When she straightened back up, she took her mace off her belt, the gryphon-winged head of it crackling red with energy.

It was time to be real subtle. Real sneaky. Because that was what being a warrior was all about, right? Especially with the Champion specialty? Silly mages. She marched into the catacombs, armor clunking and mace crackling. Nothing like stomping through old, monster-infested ruins to bring back memories, was there? She almost wished she'd brought Cole with, just for the nostalgia.

Ah well. Maybe he'd pop up later, one never knew.

In the meanwhile, it was time to find some trouble.

[treesus]

Trahearne had already found himself some trouble, in the form of several goals and various nasty things that flung fire. At least the singed leaves around his waist smelled nice, in contrast to the rotting bodies shambling after him. Ugh.

The flame snakes were already dead and half decayed in the fading wells he'd laid for them. What bats hadn't fled were dead on the ground, covered in dozens of little cuts that bled far too much for their size. That left the ghouls, a familiar sight to him but not as terrifying as what he was used to. They weren't that intelligent nor did they fling magic at him. Two already lay on the ground cut to pieces. The other two were again slammed into a wall by a magical blast from Caladbolg.

Good riddance.

Trahearne heard the clunking of armor and crackle of hostile magic and turned his head to face this potential new threat.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

Alleyana had been a half-second from joining in before she noticed the stranger had this shit handled. So in the end, she just observed until he was done -- and looking at her.

An idiot might have mistaken the blatantly non-human, glowing Trahearne for another enemy in the catacombs. The Inquisitor, thankfully, was not a goddamned idiot.

"...'Sup."

She didn't particularly want to fight any real people, and Trahearne was too weird to not be real. But if he started shit, she'd finish it.

Open

[zenoh]

[ The lure of the crystals attracted Ayame to this bounty. She could use some for display on her shop, or just for money if she got a really expensive one. Having no long-term goals for her stay in this world, she figured to settle for having as much money she could get just to distract herself. Ayame may have hung her mantle of a warrior now that she gave her sword away to a more fitting owner, but she found the Arcane Knights' methodology to be more familiar and she possessed no sorcery. As cool of a name Ravenguard was to her, she couldn't join their ranks without feeling weird. Now in the dungeons, Ayame is clad in her battle attire, using her gauntlets as a weapon. ]

First Floor

[ Finding herself surrounded by skeleton hordes, Ayame fought in a similar way she did not long ago, in the market place of Fayren. She strategically places herself in positions where their numbers mean little, smoothly inserting herself through the gaps of their loose formations, striking at their weapons and hands that they hit each other. Occasionally, she grabs one of them to be used as a shield or to push and throw against incoming enemies. Or potential allies?

A skeleton swung its rusted sword at her, which she dodges, grabbing her enemy on its arm, using a hip throw and send it flying at someplace random. Realizing someone was there, she cringes and looks toward where another person was just walking in ]

Oh, I'm sorry! Are you alright?

Second Floor

[ Not much is different here. Ayame continues to run away whenever she can, and only stops when she can't. Screeching to a halt when a particularly titanic serpent blocks her way, Ayame looks up. Her jaw drops as the serpent's shadow blankets her in further darkness. Yet, her reaction is to take something from her obi - her camera. ]

My, that's a beautiful scale pattern. Mind if I take a photo?

[ Then she senses someone else arrive, in which she preemptively stops them with an open hand gesture. Meanwhile, the snake is drawn from the light of the camera ]

Please wait for a minute. Don't attack.

Second Floor - Pt. 2

[ Soul Eaters, Akata, and Astradaemons look pretty familiar to Ayame. Fighting entities much like it since she was young, seeing them around here gave her a sense of nostalgia. It was enough for her to actually want to fight them a little more seriously. Imbuing her arms and legs with her Resonance, they begin to emit a bright light that illuminates the hallway she is in. Luring a horde of them towards her, Ayame gives her knees a slight bend and readies herself to attack. In a bright flash of light and superhuman speed, she vanishes from sight and creating a powerful gust of wind. Lines of light slash at the shadowy creatures simultaneously before Ayame reappears from a shroud of violet energy, seconds before the creatures got sliced clean into small bits ]

Just like old times...

[ Ayame sighs to herself and looks around, seeing another person in the hallway. Even after slaying all those monsters in one go, she gives this person a casual greeting ]

Hello there. Have you found any crystals yet? I seem to be having rotten luck in finding them.

OTA

[grandios]

[Though it laid in ruins Elesis couldn't help but look in awe at the White Catacombs. It was fun that the Arcane Knights and Ravenguard were having this little bet. She could see it easily built camaraderie where a little competition came into play. The Knight had chosen to go with the Arcane knights, being one herself as well as she was partial to weapons. Though since she could see this was a magical duel she was intending on trying to use more magic than the strength of her sword. She also remembered a request of collecting crystals so she really needed to keep that in mind when mopping up the monsters that had taken house in the catacombs.

Stepping into the building she could see a group up ahead doing a good job at taking care of business. Instead of following she decided to take the stairs to the second floor to see just what may lay in store for her there. Large empty hallways greeted her, something she wasn't unfamiliar with. The lack of noise on top of it being dark would always be something of a warning sign to her. Stepping forward, she intended to greet her enemies with a hot sword.]

[assaying]

[On an intellectual level; Add theorized that he could approach Ravenguard better. Ultimately he found the idea of dabbling with magic a huge waste of time. Though here he was, in the middle of it, and having picked the Arcant Knights on top of it all.

This really wasn't his conflict, but he was out to protect his interets. currently those were make money, and keep up with the only person that immediately mattered; Elesis.

Having owed the redhead a debt to a degree as she was one of the only people to actually vouch for him, despite the dubious nature of his encounters, he was welcome almost solely because she seemed to like the idea. Her sway didn't amount to much here, but a debt was a debt and if he could pay it back here where the threat level seemed nonexistent? So much the better.

Plus that act of kindness weighed on his mind, even now as he skimmed along, hovering on his dynamos, and supported by the electromagnetic field they generated.

However, he just wasn't a social butterfly and found himself skating around the second level alone. The one flaw in his plan was that he was arrogant enough to assume he could track Elesis. Which he could, obviously. He had her various sigantures stored in his database. However, the Tracer had opted for a slightly more challenging approach; predicting what she would do.

An almost pointless endeavor he realized, as he turned a corner. While she was smarter than her brother-- the irritant. Meathead. Idiot. Plan-ruiner. He stalled out in his train of thought, pausing briefly before he focused. ]

...That would imply that she thinks at all during times like this.

[Having finished his thoughts, he cleared his throat and held up a hand.]

Dynamo, scanning mode. Find me...El Energy.

[He stepped off the dynamo arrays seamlessly as they moved to comply; three moving to hover just behind his hips, a preferred place at times. The other three spun into an array of three just infront of his outstetchd hand. On a private HUD that only he could see as it overlayed on his implanted eye; he started recieving data from the scan and turned as a grin played across his lips.]

Add..You are a genius. Keke I've even predicteed where she would be. Dynamo!

[Hopping, his dynamos arrayed into the platforms he rested his feet on as he again started hovering ahead once more, now in the direction his scan had told him she would be.]

[grandios]

While she wouldn't admit to having trouble, per say. She was facing off against a pack of Dire Wolves that were particularly hard to put down. The knight sent a wall of fire towards the group, hoping to disperse them to take them down more easily.]

OTA

[treesus]

Trahearne is less here for any competition and more for what secrets and magic the catacombs might still hold. With the crystals and magical beasts around, there has to be something to study. He just can't stay away from beautiful dangerous ruins. He can be found on any floor doing the following:

A.
The sylvari's been in worse, more monster infested ruins than this. A lot of them. Too many. He's gotten used to creeping around such places, his muted coloration helping him blend in, especially around other foliage.

Sneaking up on others rarely goes well in situations like this, so he might emerge from wherever he's hiding with a polite, "Excuse me."

B.
It's dangerous to stare too long at crumbling remains of relics and runes left from whoever inhabited this place before. The crystals are the goal, yes, but he's just as interested in any other information he can gather. While he's busy taking notes, several bone minions roam about, keeping an eye out for enemies. They aren't very bright creatures and one could easily stumble onto another adventurer, either snapping at their heels or running back to its master at once.

C.
For those unfamiliar with sylvari, one likely wouldn't look much like a person at first glance, especially not in a monster filled ruin. Even more so in a dark room where all one can see is a vague shape surrounded by more vague, grotesque bodies of dead monsters. A pulsing glow lights up parts of his body but it doesn't make him look anymore human. That he radiates with dark, necromantic magic doesn't help. Bright, cat like eyes watch from the dark, taken off guard and wary of the intention of any newcomer.