Into the water they went, one massive hoard. Kaimana wondered how Orarian felt about all this. The ocean tended to dislike hazardous intruders. Ah, but they were all on mission to save someone, right? So how hazardous could they possibly be? ...Maybe she would discern Orarian's thoughts via Patty's link.

But as they went further down, thoughts started being shared by the gazillions it felt like. Kaimana tried her best to tune them out. A pang of sympathy reached her heart as she realized that this must be what Patty had to deal with at all times. Thoughts from everywhere, all the time, from who knows what. Kaimana couldn't understand how anyone could handle all that. She supposed the short answer was: you didn't.

They swam long and deep, the pressure and darkness building on top of them like layers of blanket after blanket.. and yet the thrill of being able to swim down here, to see and breathe down here for so long made Kaimana feel like she was absolutely thriving. She thought against doing something silly any lighthearted (like an underwater barrel roll or something like that) in the interest of keeping up with the group, but... oh, the temptation was strong.

Eventually they reached the place where the first key was to be slotted in. It was dark, hauntingly quiet, and desolate, but Kaimana's mood wasn't hampered down. If anything, seeing this ancient history (and its physical remnants) only lifted the jaguar's spirits.

When they were finally in... finally, after all this time, Kaimana could understand this whole mystery... well she could barely contain herself. They needed a green key, the Key of Decay? Kaimana did wonder what the name was about, but she decided to keep it a private thought as to avoid bogging down other people's brains with unnecessary thoughts. They were not to touch anything alive, which... okay, just a tad disappointing but understandable... and they could look for a green light or use magic or something. Oh, magic...?

Kaimana hadn't attempted magic in a while, but she knew she could see it within stones, which, hey! That's exactly what they were looking for! Putting her focus into her eyes felt strange (you don't often feel the muscles in there), but Kaimana would try.

Text. "Speech." Thoughts.

Kaimana is looking for the Key of Decay using Detect Magic.

Kaimana did not speak via the Patty Link.

Electrum kept up with Haven, and the most of their group- lingering at the rear edges to keep an eye on the stragglers, and the occasional brush against Haven to guide her. He feels her slight shaking as she holds her breath, so he unfolds his wings fully, brushing her back with the tips of one as he swam along, the light fading out slowly, slowly. The pressure growing slowly, slowly. The lapis dragon tilts his head to the side, steering himself with his wide open fin easily, and bumping her to catch her attention, and show her he's breathing easily. It almost felt... natural. This... is nice. Other than the fact that it feels like I've caught my head between a few rocks, and cannot see well. It's nice.
The two dragons are barely in range, and catch something about looking for... something green.

Green, glowing... like the Key he'd kept for so long. Not too hard, is it?

"Haven," he does his best to point his thought at her specifically, and asks, "Can you sense anything? I'm... swimming blind, darling. Take a deep breath for me, first... then try and look, okay?"

He... almost aims something at Telesto amongst the noise, but he's... hurt? Concerned, but hurt, so he casts about looking for her bauble for a moment, before shaking his head and searching for some sort of putrid glow. Hopefully he can keep anything especially dangerous off of the group before it takes a chunk from him, or anyone else...

Ignore this, it's here for my own sanity!

Electrum is looking about as best he can in the Darkness for the Key of Decay, and has spoken to Haven via Pattylink.


@Haven for visibility!

Haven had held her breath pretty okay for the first few minutes. Then she'd started to run out of air, her body shaking as she struggled to let go of the aching fear that if she breathed in she'd inhale water and drown. She jumped as Electrum touched her, reaching out to feel his chest rising and falling.

Finally in an exhale of bubbles she had to breathe, sucking in water and... breathing. She could breathe.

Relief was clear in her body, muscles aching from the constant tension she'd held up since the surface. She pressed her head against Electrum, seeking comfort before she looked ahead, her clicks echoing through the water as easily as they did above it. She could still see down here, better than what could be said for mostly everyone else, who were stuck with their lights.

”This way,” she urged, guiding Electrum down to the floor of the ocean, ”I will guide us and you can search for the glowing. Telesto, are you alright?”

Haven worried for them. Worried that this was more stressful for her child than they'd initially thought it would be.

@Electrum @Telesto

Madhukar counted, mentally, plenty of volunteers for holding onto. Fantastic, she'd need their help-- and as for fighters, she counted... 1 (Whale), 2 (someone she vaguely recognized from... the Ursa raid...?)... 3 (someone with a "flashlight" and a "spear" -- Madhukar would look out for them)... were there more? There had to be more. And no healers?! No way... gah, hearing for answers was just so hard when everyone was THINKING so much. How many of them had practice with keeping their thoughts to themselves?

Alright. Maybe that was mean. Maybe Madhukar was grouchy because she was having to tune out a lot of feed to get what she wanted. At last, the hoard began the long trek- swim... Madhukar could at least be thankful for the break.

Down, down, and down the went. Madhukar had to use her dextrous hands to grasp shells and tails as needed. She wasn't used to swimming but... surprisingly, it appeared as though whatever she did on a weekly basis helped her stay alive for the trip. "Whatever she did" being... running. Madhukar discovered that running in this form was actually really fun and interesting. Not as fast as her old form, but... it lasted a surprisingly long time. She had tested it. Walked from place to place, ran around in Pegasus. It was a good way to take her mind off things -- made her heart beat slower. She had also tested the arms strength. Carrying heavy things from place to place, carrying as many things as the should manage. It was all part of testing, and while it took effort, it always ended up having a nice effect on her mental state. And her physical state, apparently.

They got down. They met the "Army of Order", gigantic disgusting bug corpses. Apparently they couldn't penetrate this place, and honestly, considering the location and ease of access (or lack thereof), Madhukar thought she could understand why. Maybe there was more to it that they didn't know about yet but... I don't know, these were some pretty hefty environmental considerations.

They swam deeper. Now they had to find... another key. Madhukar didn't like having to do even more swimming at such a risky point in order to find yet another key but... she admired to security. It was endangering her -- a potential invader -- now, and it had evidently dissuaded invasions earlier. Respectable.

Madhukar would quietly begin her own search, trying very hard not to drift off from the pack. Considering how many were looking, Madhukar didn't think finding stuff would be that hard, so she wouldn't have to risk herself too much.

Madhukar is searching for the Key of Decay manually (Other roll).

Madhukar said nothing via the Patty link.

Thoughts murmur and roll around them like the tides, like the current he can feel against his fur even all the way down here, pressing in, but all he can think of is Dad. All he can think of is the look in his eyes as he follows the group down, down, down into the depths; past the bodies of 'Order' that make him shudder (he's never liked bugs) and past the spikes they're displayed on.

Down, down, down.

He's only seen Dad afraid before a couple times. If he thinks back long enough, hard enough, he can remember a time where he was surrounded by fire and the shards of his chrysalis and his father's worried voice rang out into the flames.

He's scared of danger. And it is dangerous, down here—it feels that way, at least. The darkness presses in, watching. Little specks of white cross the beams of baubled light that illuminate the dark, passing by; besides the insects speared as trophies (as warnings?), the water seems to extend out in all directions forever. For eternity.

A true abyss.

They swim for a while. Astéri keeps close to Attikias, seeking the comfort of his father's side; seeking what little warmth the depths have to offer. It is cold, cold, cold, colder than Astéri has ever been, but he waits. Conserves his magicka, even if it grates on him to do so, because the flashlights are good enough for now, right?

He just wishes he could see more than the darkness, than the brief glimpses and flashes of things that feel not meant to be seen in the dark. A grave preserved by the depths for all eternity.

And then the seahorse (the weird, weird seahorse; he's pretty optimistic himself but something about his cheerfulness feels wrong) calls out, calls to find the green key, and Astéri sighs inward to himself in relief. It doesn't take any more prompting to reach for his magic; to reach for the fire inside him, focusing, eyes narrowing, reaching to light up the dark. To find the key, and to find some semblance of safety with it.

If there is any safety to be found in the Black City.

Astéri is using magic to attempt to find the key. He has not said anything via the link.

THE BLACK CITY

In the gurgling dark, Patrick's voice was a spear through their heads: deafening, piercing, over-excited as before. He was answering Attikias's question: a 'what are those?' directed at the Praetors. "SERVANTS OF ORDER!" (This was followed by a cackle that rang through the Gembounds' minds.) "SLAVES! SOLDIERS! MORONS! THEY CAME, THEY SAW, THEY GOT SLAUGHTERED!" Another cackle, and Patty dove deeper, leaving the ghostly carcasses to fade into the black behind him.

______________

Then, the search began. As it turned out, the sea floor here was not as empty as it would have seemed at first half-blind glance: the detritus of life above had slowly sifted down, the refuse of the testing and culling landing here and settling, untouched for eons. While many of them would find only darkness, the empty drifting of silt, others would happen across unexpected treasures--and dangers--in the black.

Click below to see what each character finds. If you do not find your character on the list, they can be assumed to have found nothing.

The beam of Attikias's light cut across bones, bleached and moss-covered, ghostly in the dark. It was a macabre sight, and worst still was the fact that these bones belonged to nothing recognizable. Twisted, hook-toothed, double-jawed... Some great monster had fallen here.

Galleon would be one of the first to find a lost gemstone (a beautiful blade of orange Zincite crystal) but any later investigation would find that life had long since left it.

Dragon and Brandle, searching together, would find a strange object they likely wouldn't recognize at first glance. It would turn out, most likely, to be useless to the behemoth alligator, as it required hands (of a sort) to operate: an ancient, oil-treated harp designed to withstand the wear of water. More interesting still, it was thick-stringed and sturdily built, intended to be plucked deep beneath the waves: for its music to carry, only in tune, in water. It would sound strange, high-pitched and tinny, in the air above.

Hestia's search brought her face-to-face with a strange, new creature: a four-inch-long slug-like creature with wavering tendrils jutting off its back, slowly making its way through the still waters of the sea floor. Jet black in color, it nevertheless ignited in flashes and spots of dancing reddish color as Hestia drew close--and then turned, popping up from the sea floor to swim for her. Unless she moved out of the way, it would attach itself somewhere on her skin, and attempt to begin drinking her blood.

Hestia has discovered: Drinkers!
These will now be unlocked in the Aquatics section of the Lesser Gembound Guide.



Hunter would find another form of life entirely, his flashlight sweeping over not old bones but beautiful, vibrant corals. A small reef took up one little ravine carved through the sea floor, rainbow hues gleaming against the dark. Telesto would find another of these little reefs, albeit dimmer without a light source, clustered along a series of rocky ridges a good distance away from the first.

Esther's light would glance over something else entirely: a few skittish little creatures (that looked rather delicious, really) darting curiously toward them, and into their beam of light, and then away again. These were orange and cream in hue, and looked like little shrimp, bar the big rabbit-like "ears" atop their heads. They'd appear to be completely harmless, only six inches long or so.

Esther has discovered: Water Crawlers!
These will now be unlocked in the Aquatics section of the Lesser Gembound Guide.



Ascent's search would find a strange object nestled down in the rocks--was it a key? -No, it didn't glow; closer investigation would reveal it to be something like steel pliers. It was a tool, certainly, and one that required some level of manipulation to operate, but it was a tool surprisingly devoid of rust intended to grab and pry objects with a greater force than could be managed with hands alone. Who'd lost that down here..? Or maybe it had been lost higher up, and fallen through the depths long ago.

Fahl, so busy watching for bioluminescence, had the bad luck to stick his snout far too close to something that didn't give off a telltale glow. A massive pincer shot out of the dark when he drew near, cutting for his nose or lips--whatever it could grab. It would undoubtedly leave a cut, though not a severe one--and Fahl might catch a glimpse of the creature that had inflicted it: a spiky crab some two feet across from one side of the shell to the other, a pair of pinprick eyes briefly flashing green as it turned to scuttle away.

Fahl has discovered: the Skullcrab!
These will now be unlocked in the Aquatics section of the Lesser Gembound Guide.



Cerilaine's search would find several items glimmering to her senses. The nearest lay in a divot on the rocky floor. There a piece of dark grey stone lay, and at first glance it might have been mistaken for a Key: but there was no glow, and it was much, much smaller. It was a little piece of Flint, and given its shimmer in her magic search, it likely still held life.

Kaimana's hunt for magic likewise takes her deep: to a tiny object near-hidden in the rock. It would turn out to be a single, hooked earring made of untreated, silvery Niobium metal. While lacking any gemstone or color decoration, it bears a small, swirling shape formed and carved to resemble a strange and elegant fish-like creature. This item is Enchanted, although it isn't immediately obvious what sort of magic it bears. A tooltip will be added for this item if it is taken with Kaimana (or another Gembound) and kept.

Lastly came Madhukar: who, by pure luck (and diligence in her search) stumbles across what appears to be the Key. It's a slab of stone perhaps a foot long, and six inches wide and deep, and bears a strange, sickly-glowing glyph across its surface. This yellow-green glow is dim, pulsing, and sets Madhukar's skin crawling when she draws close.

______________

"OH! GOOD! THERE IT IS, THAT'S IT, THAT'S IT!" Patrick came zipping down toward Madhukar--had he been there all along, or just seen her find through her own eyes, through their link? "EXCELLENT WORK, UH, FURRY THING! ISN'T THIS FUN?!" Fins flailed as he moved to take the key.

"THE NEXT ONE WON'T BE SO EASY. COME ON!" And off he went, zipping through the not-so-briny deeps. His flashing lights led the way, and he was oblivious to any troubles behind him--those who fell behind would find him not bothering to stop and wait. It seemed more careless than malicious, though. It was not clear how Patrick was navigating: he was curling and curving through dark water without many landmarks, with nothing but the occasional drifting Obelisk gleaming in the distant black, looming before the Gembounds and then fading into the dark as they passed by. Perhaps that was their purpose--to serve as waystones in the deep.

"EACH KEY HAD A GUARDIAN! NEXT ONE'S A PINK KEY, THE KEY OF FESTERING. THE KEY OF DECAY--THIS ONE DIED. HA! BUT THE NEXT ONE'S STILL ALIVE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET IT BACK! BUT WE HAVE TO TRY. FIRST WE GOTTA FIND HIM, TOO. HE'S A BIG, UGLY, SPIKY-"

"A BIG... UGLY... SPIKY... WHAT?" This voice was audible, not sharing in the Gembounds' link--and yet somebody had heard the thought. It rumbled, bass and deafening--shaking the very waters around them with its vibration--from the darkness up ahead.

"OH, UH. THAT'S HIM. I'LL LEAVE YOU TO IT, THEN!" Patrick cried cheerfully, and--with a wild-eyed grin and a salute of one fin--he dove away into the depths.

______________

The Gembounds now face an unknown creature in the darkness up ahead: the Guardian of the Key of Festering. Its size, shape, and so forth are not yet known, but it sounds large. They must choose how to proceed, and make any attempt they wish to solve the situation; a failure to do so may result in dangerous circumstances.

This quest is closed to new entrants.

Code:

<SPAN STYLE="text-shadow: 0px 0px 8px #ef78ff;color:#deb8ff;"><b>accidental thoughts font code</b></SPAN>

@Forgraves @Electrum (Garnet-Episilon) @Attikias (Cerilaine) @Hunter (The Orarian) @Khavur (Madhukar, Kaimana) @Bedlam (Ascent, Pelt) @Haven (Carja) @Indigo @Hestia @Fahl @Whale @Galleon (Skein) @Beast (Friend) @Telesto (Brandle, V-Labradorite-One) @Esther @Dragon (Blight) @Terror (Astéri)

Fear shot through Carja as her head whipped around, trying to find the source of the angry voice. She almost whimpered, almost, but she didn't, managing to keep hold of her bravery for just a bit longer.

"Rude. How rude! To call someone ugly- the audacity-", she thought, taking a deep breath and letting it out before trying to speak as well, "Excuse me! Sir or ma'am or neither, I've met giant creatures in these waters before. Are you one of them? We mean no harm, we're simply trying to help someone named Astio, can you help us?"

Carja opened her vents, casting light before her as she ever so slowly drifted forward ahead of the group, her wings slightly spread, starry scales glinting in the darkness. If this creature were to be hostile, she would be their first line of defense. She had both heat and cold on her side, but it wasn't known if either would be effective surrounded by water like she was.

"Be nice, everyone," she thought, "Always be kind until the moment that you are certain that kindness is not an option."

She had to hope that this was the right move.

Rolling to be nice to this mystery being


GM note: roll was 11 (barely successful) but on the wrong character, has been applied to this post - GM Dark

She listened- had no choice but to when Patrick's voice shot through her mind; loud and ever excitable- and that cackle, well she supposed they were having a grand ol'time! That was good! Regardless Hestia carried onward, being mindful of the companion she carried on her back. Occasionally glancing back to ensure they were still holding on tight. Eyes glancing back over the sea floor; taking her time to best scour and search for that key they were all desperately in need of. Thus far though, even with the glowing bauble around her neck there was- well there was no key- there was other things but- not what was particularly important at the moment.

Most of what she scoured was detritus from the life above, old and barren but otherwise otherworldly and beautiful in it's own way. She couldn't wait to tell her mother of these sights- so different from the world above in the caves that they both knew! But as she swam and search for that key- something else caught her eye. It was- so small, with wavering tendrils jutting off it's back. It looked- beautiful! Dancing colors of red hue kept her focus entirely on them- especially when suddenly they popped up and off the sea floor and began swimming directly toward her.

Hestia stared for a moment more- before swimming to the side; it would be best to avoid the little slug creature for now she figured- especially since the guide made a very important note not to touch anything alive- and well that includes letting alive things touch you! But still she would watch the little slug for a few moments longer- perhaps more than what she should when a key was the main objective but, it was rather cute and hey- she was just making sure it kept it's distance too!

Some time passed and Hestia had moved on from the little slug, attention still flickering around the seafloor till suddenly the guide spoke up- loud and clear and bee lining for one specific gembound. Well that was quick work! Hestia smiled, hopefully reaching the lucky gembound with her praise and celebration!

Good work!

Without much word or well warning the guide took off, zipping through the water at their own speed. Luckily the lights flashed and led the way but- Hestia was a bit worried for anyone who may not be the fastest swimmer or- if others were out perhaps a bit too far.

Looks like we're heading off again! Be careful and group up! Follow our lovely guide!

She hoped her words or well thoguths would perhaps give some gembounds the heads up they might need to quickly swim to where they needed to be so they could travel safely with the rest of the group. She wasn't sure just how their guide knew exactly where they were going- but perhaps it was all instinct...or maybe- the giant obelisks?...Either way she felt it was impressive- even if they seemed to just be darting around at the speed of sound in a moment notice.

Patrick spoke again, informing them that each key apparently had a guardian- and that this one's had died...How sad- though apparently the next key- the pink one, still had a guardian alive and well and apparently big and ugly-hey wait a second! She expected a lot of things from this guide but, pejorative words were not one of them.

Well that's not very nice- calling another soul ugly!

She had more to say- but someone else spoke up, audible but not in her mind- something large that shook the very waters around her and the others. Before much else could be done Patrick the lovely guide simply abandoned them; leaving the group to deal with the mystery guardian...the one he...called ugly...now that was...very lovely of them...

She inhaled deeply, a habit to calm herself which luckily with water breathing it seemed to work the same way! She glanced around; everybody seemed to be accounted for or well most of them from what she could see- but she what she could not see was the booming voice that had shook the very waters around them...

Some had already begun to communicate with them- she hoped her words could help too...and perhaps maybe even locate the general location of this guardian.

Hello-we're just passing through and- looking for a key! We mean no harm- how are you by the way?

Part of her wondered how their life must be...down here possibly alone, for who knows how long- it made her a bit sad to imagine it really. Hestia hoped the guardian would be in a mood to talk and well understand the task at hand. If anything this would take time- and ideally not a fight.

Esther didn't pay attention to any voices in their head, nor did they look around to see what the others found in their searches. As their claws meandered around - making the light from the ring aid them in their exploring, some small... Things, caught their vision. They were obviously aquatic - based on their location - and had ears on their body. Looked kind of crunchy too. Esther kind of wanted to eat one. Just as they opened their jaws to get a taste, a booming voice rang through their head and Esther recoiled, area where the creatures were went voidlike for a moment. Only to Esther, of course, and they quickly turned their head away to ignore it.

Something about the keys having guardians... Oh dear. The maned wolf hoped the others knew what they were doing. Some of them looked like they did at least. Things shook from a louder voice, insulted by the guide's words. Esther blinked in that direction, unable to see what spoke just a moment ago. Well. It was him. One of the guardians - Esther's eyes turned to stare at the lights around the watery room to see what the others were doing before they acted themselves.

One of them - the first to reply to the words - mentioned being nice until nice wasn't an option. Another seemed to agree and didn't attack.

This isn't the time for small talk. Rang through their head without permission - they had things they needed to be doing and with the anger from before... Esther wasn't sure the thing in the darkness would want that kind of conversation. However flattering him could work? Maybe? They didn't bring anything up, though. Better to wait and see what happens.

Her sight was working! And perhaps she was getting too carried away with it -- Kaimana ended up deep. She had spotted something slim and brimming with some kind of magic. At first she had thought it to be, potentially, the key, but even upon getting close enough to realize that it probably wasn't, Kaimana couldn't stop! What was this vibrant substance enveloped in such darkness? What was it here for, forgotten or otherwise missing? Her curiosity drove her a little bonkers sometimes.

So she would snatch it up quick and navigate back to the group, cautiously following the lights, and then, THE VOICE. Big booming sound waves reverberated through the medium of endless water. They sounded insulted by Patty's almost-remark. Ah, well, that seemed like nothing more than misunderstanding. Oh, shoot-

With pleasing speed, several others were using Patty's link to ameliorate the situation. Kaimana had to force herself not to smile as she swam closer towards the group, looking to join them, one light among the others. "This is not small talk," Kaimana would begin -- more a response to someone else's thought than the (supposed) Guardian of the Key's anger. "Are you the one who guards the key of... festering?" Kaimana was pretty fond of the keys' names. She had no idea why each key needed a name, or what the evident naming pattern said about the city they were traveling to, but "key of festering" sure sounded cool. "I apologize for our guide's remark -- evidently, he does not speak for all of us. If you or the guardian of your key were visible to us, then I'm sure that claim would be debunked in an instant." Kaimana couldn't imagine something of the sea being 'ugly'. Then again, Kaimana didn't really enjoy that term or how it was used. Beauty, its alleged opposite, was arbitrary anyways.

Kaimana didn't really know what else to say? Her tone was already unsure, even in thought. She didn't know enough about the situation at hand... so why continue! Kaimana would wait, hoping that the situation would be mollified in some way. Maybe the guardian would help them find the key, so they wouldn't have to risk themselves looking for it.

Text. "Speech." Thoughts.

Kaimana is taking the mystery Enchanted item she found and trying [rolling] to Reassure the guardian that they mean no harm.

Kaimana said things via the Pattylink but I don't wanna write them all out hghg