To Madhukar's surprise, she ended up finding something. The thing. The key! Green and glowering and... uncomfortable, in general. Bad vibes. And to add onto that discomfort: Patrick came towards her to collect it. Deep discomfort. Bad vibes. Madhukar would hand off the key as if it were blazing hot, not wanting to be around it or its keeper for any longer than she had to be. Despite herself, when Patrick called her a "furry thing", Madhukar just HAD to blurt out: "I'm Madhukar." Gruff. Obviously aggravated. Completely irrelevant information otherwise.

Moving right along (with some amount of embarrassment welling up in Madhukar; now everyone knew she was here when no one had to), they would descend further and begin the search for a Key of Festering. Great. Who had a living guardian. ...Great.

Said guardian made-- at least Madhukar assumed that was it-- his own entrance. Big, ugly, spiky...? Ah, geez, Patrick really was insane. Well, other people seemed to be stepping up to the plate, and Madhukar was no good with social situations, so she would hang back and look around for the time being. She'd be available for the fights and the searches -- so, in other words, she'd be here if this guardian had a short fuse.

But, speaking of searches... how was Madhukar supposed to "look around" exactly? After thinking about it for maybe two seconds, the felinoid would tentatively decide to look for... mushrooms.

You know. Just in case.

Madhukar is searching around via Grey Sense i guess.

Madhukar said something via the Pattylink. Woo!

Labradorite was unable to spot anything particularly noteworthy, but another had already found the key. But nobody in the group had been hurt yet, so that was good, it supposed. It'd squint through the dark waters, trying to keep track of Khavur and the other members of the Forge that had tagged along. The glowing baubles certainly helped... but the darkness down here seem to absorb nearly all light. It was... disorienting, and it found itself paying more attention to the water itself- the currents formed either by natural forces or moving gembound. But still, that didn't help it much in figuring who was there, only that something was there.

It'd follow the guide through the murky depths, alternating between keeping it's eyes on the odd seahorse and combing through the crowd, making sure that Khavur nobody important got left behind in the guide's careless journey through the dark. No sooner were they told about The Key of Festering were they face-to-face with it's guardian. Or rather, it lurked somewhere hidden in the dark while the rest of them sat there like floating chunks of meat.

Why are they trying to reason with it? Are they all so naive? It thought. Obviously, they were meant to fight it, right? A guardian of such an important object wouldn't just hand it over after a brief chat. It tensed, eyes trained in the direction of the rumbled growl. It did not attack- not while it couldn't actually see the creature. Instead it backed towards the edges of the group- hoping to hide itself in the shadows, gain whatever element of surprise it was able to before it's glowing red eyes gave it away. And once more, it drew on it's magic, hoping that this time it'd actually hear the thunderous beats of all the surrounding heartbeats. Hopefully it'd be able to discern the Festering's guardian's heartbeat from the rest.

Labradorite is preparing for a fight, and looking for the creature in the darkness using red sense.

Oh, that's. That's uh.

That's a really big thing—!

And considering their guide just insulted it, Astéri thinks it's a good idea to—to get somewhere safe! What if it comes after them next?

The only thing that keeps the leopard from swimming for cover (i.e. behind his dad) is Carja; her starry wings spreading out in front of them, glinting in the dozen or so lights of the search party. Big and glinting and protective… even though the creature is big (sounds big), Astéri is sharply reminded that there are big things in these waters, too. Big like Carja. And there are so many other Gembound in this group… Gembound working together. Gembound working to help.

He tilts his chin up and swims to be at Carja's shoulder, body gleaming with inner firelight which glints off her scales.

They can do this. He can do this. He can be brave.

For Carja. For the Elenyas. For… for everyone down here in these waters, even those he doesn't really know.

Yeah! We're just here to find the key; we mean you no harm.

Unless, of course, the big creature turns out to be mean. But he'll hold out hope that it isn't!

Astéri said "Yeah! We're just here to find the key; we mean you no harm." via the link.

Turned to his search, Fahl did notice the offer of aid immediately. At the current depth, the waters were dim, only kept from impenetrability due to the distant roving lights of the group. Where a crevasse stretched like a mouth open mid-yawn, he dared to venture nearer to. Pressure maintained its tight hold on the descent, invisible fingertips tightening its clench around his skull. Poised directly above the immense dip in the floor, claws hovered close enough to jagged rock to almost scrape against it, and legs kicked out to generate thrust. The result of this maneuver a rapid forward tilt of the body, the iguana's head tipped down, his snout shoved straight into the area of interest.

Plunged into such a position, the sign his request had been answered made itself known in his periphery: illumination, soft and gradually fading in with the advancing presence. If choking on an inward flood of water hadn't been his concern, it would have been recognized by shoulder-sagging sigh of gratitude. But thoughts would suffice, and wasn't that a pleasant thing to realize? While being privy to others' unfiltered imaginings was unfortunate, this provided the first opportunity he'd ever had to be as articulate as he desired.

'Thanks. Let me move my big head out of the way. Way I am right now, I'm probably blocking you from doing any good.' He drew his forearms up, readying them for a shove that'd hopefully send him flying back up. 'Just a mo—'

The assurance went unfinished. There'd been a flicker of movement, and Fahl, stupidly enough, had leaned further into the darkness to find what had made it. What he knew first was a flash of color—purple, or was it white?—enough for instinct to jerk his head back from what he interpreted as a sudden approach. Face removed from what might have been harm, then the sting was felt. A sharp cut split through his upper lip and nicked the top of his lower one.

But with no reflection available to see the true extent of damage, his awareness of it was limited to the coiling wisps of red that leaked from him, drifting up in thin smokelike trails. Through the haze caused by this, he caught small but piercing eyes. His attacker's silhouette held many formidable points, and seeing this, the retreat away from the place he'd foolishly stuck his head into resumed, the shove he'd prepared redone in haste to achieve some distance.

What he had been able to glimpse proved one thing though: 'Fuckers really are ugly down here.' The sentiment had not been intended to be expressed, but it was difficult to not. Used to keeping these to himself and with few that he trusted with his full internal process out loud above water, these vulgarities were prone to announcing themselves as loudly and uninhibited as possible. 'Guess that's a dead end unless I want to try for revenge. Don't think it got me too bad though.' His shoulders rolled back in a shrug as he faced the bridle's glow full-on. 'You still up for staying close by? I don't think you'll have anything to worry about. It's me that's probably going to be baiting these things, poking where they don't like me and all.'

While there'd be a pause for any response, Fahl would not wait for long. Duty called, and he wanted to get ahold of this key so that they could continue on. An easy swish of his tail spun him away, mind already intent on exploring another section of the floor.

If it weren't for how irritated he was by having to participate in this search at all, a pang of jealousy might have crossed at not being the one to make the important discovery. After all, while a small accomplishment in the grand scheme of things, it still was one. Instead his impatience reigned above the rest of his emotions. Hearing that yet again another key needed to be obtained, a huff leapt from him.

'So it is a key of every color? A bit more of a scavenger hunt than a rescue mission.' The talk of guardians carried the possible weight of danger to it, but at the present it seemed so easy. Although not the most intelligent of wishes, where was the difficulty? The challenge? A Master had needed them for this.

He received his answer in the enraged stirring of the waters around them. 'Nice going, Patty. You pissed him off.'

Some of the Gembounds were attempting to assuage that reverberating outrage unbelievably enough. And yes, it'd be better if this guardian wasn't killing for an insult not their own, but, 'Guardians don't guard well by acquiescing to everyone that promises good intentions.' Rude or not, it'd be best to take what Patty had said to heart in case the attempt at pleasantries didn't turn out well.

Spiky and big. That meant a size difference he could play to his advantage, so long as he avoided the spikes. The rest could try to speak sense and charm their way to a key, but Fahl would wait for whether or not the worse of the outcomes emerged instead. His limbs tensed, at the ready to propel him away from any sudden lashing out at the gathered party. He didn't know how fast their potential opponent could be, but hopefully his speed and whatever disturbances he could sense nearby would allow him to avoid a painful blow.

@Garnet-Epsilon (for visibility)

Blight had, at Carja's request, drawn close to her. "I'm here, yeah--thanks for helping me get along. It's easier now we aren't travelling," he reflected.

To Bedlam, he'd offered a gentle and bemused "Oh--thank you. Come with us, if you like? What-" this was cut off by the other creature's hacking up a gob of something he couldn't identify in the dark--hell, maybe he'd have been unable to recognize it even in bright light. It looked like snot.

Gross.

"...Um, anyway, I didn't see you there Squeaky, but you can come with us, if you like." It was an affectionate thought, the old name he'd given Bedlam on hatching assigned to them once again.

Tattered wings folded as Blight made his way through the murk. The rest had searched, found what they'd wanted, and Blight had gotten a moment's rest before following Carja again.

The journey had resumed, even farther into the dark--and Blight wondered will we ever get out of this place? with a sort of fretting claustrophobia, the thought accidentally broadcast to everyone close by. Luckily for him, it had no discernable source, and-

'A BIG... UGLY... SPIKY... WHAT?'

-ah. Blight wasn't sure what the hell was out ahead, there, in the dark; he knew enough to know it might end in battle. Carefully he tried to call up his magicka, to send it out into the unknown just ahead. If he were lucky, he'd hit the thing--but in a way it wouldn't recognize... he hoped. His was a subtle but deadly magic, one that didn't alert the victim straightaway. If it hit, it'd infect the thing with his plague--but without his further intervention, it wouldn't cause any symptoms, yet.

He did his best, though, to speak with it: "Farina sent us. We're supposed to open the City for her. If you're, uh. One of hers?" he asked, and was suddenly doubtful--what if it wasn't one of hers at all..?

Dragon gently nudged the thing he'd found. He wasn't sure what it was; only that Brandle would be able to carry it, and he would not.

"TAKE IT WITH YOU, if you want it!" he 'said,' and his thoughts were booming along the link, an alligator's bellow in mental form.

Then they were moving on--key located by another--and Dragon turned, leading both his children onward. Great sweeps of his ridged tail drove him through the heavy waters, against the pressure pushing in from all directions. The barrage of thoughts was constant, but he found he didn't mind; as used as he was to solitude, it still wasn't really overwhelming. It was almost nice, this level of unasked-for company, in its own way.

Then, the voice of the Guardian: and Dragon swam toward the front of the group, all scars and unchanging grin, his children behind him. "Stay back," he told Brande, and Skein--more quietly than before. Which was impressive, given that it was all thoughts. But it was less obtrusive; more subtle.

Like the rest, he didn't want to outright provoke a fight. But like the rest, he would prepare for it. He tried to summon up the paralytic venom along the tips of his teeth--just in case. And hell, it'd remain there too, for if he needed it later on. But aloud, he spoke with calm and confidence. Well--not "aloud," but still. (And he tried not to think about his preparations, lest they be broadcast, too.)

"Master Farina is up above. NEMEAN was the betrayer," came his thoughts, savage against the little fairy. Aquarian had screamed at her once, therefore she was evil for life, in his mind. Plus, she'd had his son's eyes ripped out. The bitch. ...Whoops.

Ahem.

"But what--whoever that was--said is true: we are here to unlock the place. You can keep the key, even? So long as it is used!" he suggested--that sounded wise to him.

THE BLACK CITY

Patrick remained somewhere quiet, at first, and COMPLETELY out of sight. How helpful I am, staying out of the way like this! "YOU'VE GOT THIS!" he 'cheered,' urging the Gembounds on.

The big creature in the dark ahead listened to their link in silence. It was a thoughtful, yet ominous silence, as if it were preparing to judge them. There were words--many words--and it leaned forward as it listened... emerging into their shared, dim light.

The beast looked as though an eel had mated with a shark, and then added in a porcupine for good measure: sleek, scales glinting like mirrors, too-many-teeth arranged in rows jutting down from long, strong jaws. The eyes were enormous, and perfectly round, and spines slicked up from all over it. It was at least thirty feet long--possibly more--impossible to tell; clawed, webbed forelimbs dragged it forward from within a massive hole in a rock wall ahead, so that it stared out at them all.

It heard, first, their words. It considered them. Turned them over in its mind. MASTER FARINA..? came the accidental thought, half-hopeful, half-suspicious.

Blight's magic was noted, then. No retaliation came: instead it leaned further out, picking the dragon from the group and staring down at him.

"YOU ARE STRANGE CREATURES. YOU DO NOT LOOK RIGHT AT ALL FOR MY MASTER'S CREATIONS BUT YOU," he went on, huge unblinking eyes staring at Blight, "BEAR HER GIFTS... I THANK YOU FOR THIS BLESSING! I RETURN IT TO YOU. I EXALT IN HER ROTTING TOUCH." The entire eel-like body shivered with pleasure.

The enormous head turned to Carja, then. "ASTIO?" A pause, thought. If the eyes were not great, round fish-eyes, they would have narrowed. "DO YOU MEAN ARTIO?" It pondered, then. ARTIO... AND MY MASTER'S MAGIC. AS UGLY AND STRANGE AS SOME OF THEM LOOK, PERHAPS THEY SPEAK THE TRUTH.

It drew itself farther out. Some of them were strange-looking, even weak--the small cat thing, the iguana, the plain-looking alligator, the ugly bipedal thing with pastel colors and striped fur. Their designs screamed of natural order, not of Chaos. Ugh. But others--the great spined fish, the winged wolf-creature, the dragons and the things with great, green eyes, with claws and spines and hands--Khavur and Bedlam, Hestia with her shell, the beasts that were Labradorite and Terror--oh, those were fine creations! With so many among them, surely Farina must have sent them..?

The Guardian carefully weighed their words, their designs, and their magic. And, at last, it spoke. "I WILL BRING THE KEY, BUT I WILL AWAIT MY MASTER'S WORD TO USE IT! WHERE IS SHE?" it demanded; "I WILL GO TO HER MYSELF!"

"ABOVE!" Patrick hastened to assure it. "She is up above! I'm sure she awaits your" ugly "loyal visit!"

Patrick reappeared, lingering and grinning hesitantly at the back of the Gembounds' group. Truly, he was a paragon of courage and bravery in the face of danger.

The Guardian took off at once, a stream of bubbles behind it as it shot above and past the group, and away with its Key clasped in the second of four pairs of limbs--and then it was gone. "The Guardian will rejoin us, I'm sure! Very well done, you cowards! You defused it instead of killing it! Hahaha! Weak! Amazing! Strong! -Come, ah, WE NEED TO SEARCH--we need to go to the final chamber!"

With that, Patrick shot off again--higher and higher into the murk, streaking for an unknown destination.

Then he turned back, swimming back into them. "OH, if you have any final preparations to make before a POTENTIAL battle, make them now! I don't know what we'll find in the final chamber. Maybe a present from Nemean! It'll be fun!" he assured them--and was off like a shot again.

______________

The Gembounds have successfully appeased the Mad Guardian--who has departed with the key, but will likely return soon. Gembounds have one round to follow Patrick, to react to the situation. They may make any final preparations for combat now, just in case there's violence ahead, as Patrick is implying.

Blight has been 'gifted' with a fast-acting, potentially terminal form of gangrenous disease--the Guardian's Gift--and must roll to cleanse himself.

As a note, characters will need a minimum post count of 3 in this thread overall in order to claim Black City rewards.

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)

Blight's greeting was met with a shaky smile, with Bedlam still trying to subtly rinse the rotten taste out of its mouth. It didn't think the dragon looked too bothered, at least. Was he bothered by anything, ever? Blight seemed pretty... chill, it decided. What would it take to bother him? it wondered in a fleeting thought, but it liked him too much to find out the fun way. Perhaps this quest would reveal the answer, or perhaps not.

The guardians were... interesting, Bedlam decided. Curiosities. It made it want to poke at them, literally and metaphorically. To provoke them, starting with the lightest pokes and prods to see what lovely entertaining rage it might yield. Unfortunately, it thought that that might be a little dangerous--but Patty was practically provoking them for it already, which it supposed was an alright substitution.

The seahorse's... praise? amused them, too. He couldn't seem to decide on whether their 'cowardice' was weak or amazing, or maybe he was doing it deliberately to rile them up. Either way was fine in its books, and Bedlam gave him a lazy grin that faded a little at the mention of battle. It would leave the fun to the others, thanks.

Who are the strongest here? it wondered, olive-green gaze passing over the group. The Orarian and Whale were large, but rather... floppy? And smooth? Maybe it'd have better luck with the dragons, or brightly-colored Khavur with their vicious claws and quills. It drifted over slowly, magic blooming as it swam behind the creation. Protect me, it thought. I'm worth defending.

Bedlam is hiding behind @Khavur for protection

ASCENT

Ascent almost didn't notice the pair of metal pliers in the dark--it was not engraved with a glyph, nor did it glow green. But as used to observing as they were, they managed barely to pick out the object in the black waters. It was ignored for now, though, as they continued the search for the key.

Ah, it had been found! Not by them, but by someone else. Ascent felt no jealousy; it was a victory for the group either way. They did wince at Patty's casual insults, though. Did he really have to piss off the guardian like that? Peeking out carefully from behind the crowd, myriad sets of eyes examined the eel-like creature. Thankfully, they ended up not having to fight it. Ascent couldn't tell if Patty was happy or disappointed with the outcome. What an odd being.

Since it seemed like there might be danger ahead anyway, Ascent began to look for any curiosities, metal or otherwise, that might be helpful in a fight. If they found none in time for the ascent, they would simply pick up the pair of pliers. Hey, something was better than nothing. Hitting something with metal would surely be safer than breaking Patty's warning and touching something living with their claws.

Ascent is looking for weapons.

"Artio, yes," she replied, "I'm a bit forgetful... thank you for your help!"

Carja breathed out in utter relief. It worked. They'd managed to calm down the massive creature before anything happened. But that blessing... that seemed odd.

Turning to Blight, she peered at him curiously, "Are you okay? Do you feel any different?"

A good different, if she kept her faith, but these creatures didn't seem to have the inherent kindness that she and some of the others had. Maybe it was sinister, or maybe she was paranoid.

"You said before that this one might be violent," Carja said to Patrick, "So again I say, let us keep our faith until such a fight occurs. However at the same time, it doesn't hurt to be prepared for the worst."

Over her body, ice appeared, spreading all over and thickening on her chest, arms, back, neck, and head, forming a mediocre set of armor. It would provide a little bit of protection, should she need it, but hopefully she didn't. Hopefully whoever they were approaching could be reasoned with too.

If worse came to worse... she had her claws. She had more ice that could be breathed out into massive spikes to both harm and protect. If her daughter was in danger... she'd be a force to be reckoned with.

@.Blight