Scene #1738: Lost Logia Hunt - Ultimate Tea Version

Owner	Pose
Alicia T. Harlaown	Tea. A universal constant. So many worlds have it in one form or another. Yet rumours abound about a recent development in the not so ironically named sleepy town of Sleepy Village. A small, but nice town thanks to its location in this part of the Multiverse, its technology level matches that of many modern but not greatly technologically advanced human civilizations. Situated within easy distance of three major cities, it consists mostly of modestly wealthy people and those who are modestly paid to work the stores that supply them. The rumours mentioned above speak of a tea so grand, so vivid in taste that it eclipses all other teas. Such a tea can only be found here, where it has been developed only recently, not more than a few months ago. It has also not been publicly announced, which is why this place isn't inundated with tea lovers. However, it's not these rumours that has drawn the attention of Alicia Testarossa Harlaown, but rather those of people missing from the neighbouring cities. The only connection, their travel routes taking them through this town. Long range scans noted the possible presence of a Lost Logia, the dangerous artifacts of magical power that many are sometimes tasked with tracking down. Concerned about the missing people and the possible dangers of this Lost Logia, Alicia has put forth a request through Union channels for assistance in finding and securing this artifact. Of course, those not of the Union are likely to still be drawn here by either set of rumours, depending upon their tastes! This brings us to the now. The town's small size means there is no warpgate here, however Alicia has offered her allies transportation to the mission site should they lack their own. It's at this point that a large sphere of silver light grows at the centre of the town, within the small park situated there. Finally with a flash it vanishes, leaving behind Alicia and anyone else who had taken her offer of a lift. As the transportation spell ends, Alicia glances around at their new surroundings... The town is intact, though from the look of it... Deserted. The town's centre is mostly dominated by commercial buildings, many of them apparently open and lighted... But there's no sign of movement. The windows are dirty, signs blown over, no apparent indication of people working inside... It's also eerily quiet, with no cars or people on the street. Something is definitely strange here...
Artyom W. Valodjn	Some people might be more interested in the welfare of a burgeoning township than the pursuit of God-Tea. Some might be coerced by their own greed, drawn in like a moth to the sweet, caffinated flame. Some might be so callous, so malign, that their only interest in this endeavor is to secure a flavor sensation all for themselves, to covet and hold high above all other tea connoisseurs as the greatest of all things tea-like! And then there are those who've not even heard about the missing people, and are honestly just looking for something to scratch their tea-loving itch. People like Artyom! Who travelled here on a small tide of moving earth from the nearest land-linked warpgate. But what he finds is... Not a bustling community of wealthy industrialists and their wage-slaves. No, there remains little sign of those tannin-addicts in this bizarrely still ghost town. Artyom pulls his travelling cloak a little tighter and a little higher around his neck as he scans the lighted, but filthy windowframes and the motionless shadows cast within. He also arrives a short distance away from Alicia and her group, but not /too/ overly far. Near enough to possibly seem suspicious with his incredible size and the cloak and the gigantic sword strapped to his back. Though some of her entourage may recognize him easily. Not that he expects to meet any of the Light Warriors here today. Instead, he turns his attention to the earth beneath his feet, extending his awareness into the land. This place should be crawling with people and thunderous with footsteps and machinery. But... Is there even anything at all?
Shizune Nakamura	Rumors of an ultimate tea are too good to pass up for any Elite who truly considers herself a proper Japanese person. To find out that those rumors are apparently the result of what might be a Lost Logia? That pretty much guarantees that Shizune Nakamura is going to be there to help investigate. Despoilers of tea will not be forgiven. >:\| Dressed in her school uniform as they arrive, Shizune straightens her outfit a little and takes a look around. "There's... really no one here, is there," she observes with a hint of concern, adjusting her glasses.
Ysuran	Even necromancers like tea, apparently. And when he's spending late nights doing research, it's always nice to have something pleasantto sip on. So yes, it's true that Ysuran has interest in this tea. But he's also concerned about the fate of the missing people. It wouldn't take very long before such disappearances would be talked about. And, being a bleeding-heart type, Ysuran isn't about to let that go without looking into it. He will indeed accept the offer of transportation. Walking isn't very fast, particularly to a place that's this far away from a warpgate. Oh he's noticed the lack of people, that's for sure. "...It appears things are worse than I had heard..."
Zephyr Windstar	Zephyr is right there with Alicia. Once the spell fades, she hefts her axe, droping it across her shoulder casually. "Should I even have this out yet? I can never tell." she says causally over to Alicia. Her heterochromic eyes then traverse across the town, taking it in. "Hmm, not many people out on the streets... what's the plan then, boss? You're rank here."
Landon al Cid	Prince Landon al Cid is not a tea fanatic. Perhaps this has something to do with being forced to drink it day in, day out. Galiandans have a particular and bizarre set of tea rituals for diplomacy, and Landon's been forced to memorize every single one in excruciating detail. It's like becoming an expert on something you hate because you don't have any choice; Landon just happens to know a ton about tea as a result of this gruelling training camp. Clad in his silvery armor, his purple cape, and his horned helmet, the Prince of Ramuh has come not merely to hunt down tea, but to help the TSAB. He felt a kinship towards them, due to the similarity of their magics. He felt a fondness towards them, since Zephyr had kindly offered him access to something he (and countless other Galiandans) had dreamed of since he was small. And, well, it was the right thing to do. They were good people. They needed help. Landon takes a look around the area. He hasn't conjured his Judge Blade yet, so to the unassuming, he may look unarmed. He spins one of the Law Cards between his gauntleted fingertips with surprising dexterity, following along the with the rest of the group. He's quiet - frighteningly quiet, for a man wearing full plate. Then again, he's been wearing this armor as long as he can remember. It's almost a second skin for him. The Prince is quiet, unlike the rest of his companions. He simply looks across the area with a muted interest, his face hidden behind the mask of his Judge Helm.
Alicia T. Harlaown	As Zephyr brings up the question of her weapon, Alicia hehs, "Well... It's a little creepy... But at this stage I don't think we're in any danger." It's for this reason that Alicia hasn't even transformed yet, still just wearing her uniform. Now. As for a plan... Alicia waves her hand in front of her, several holoscreens appearing. However, the information now being displayed on them seems garbled. Alicia blinks, "That's... A lot of magical interference. It's like it's coming from all around us... I can't pick up anything!" A little disturbing. Still, they need a plan! "Well... I guess we should start looking for someone. A whole town of people don't disappear without a much larger uproar than I've been hearing about!" Artyom's efforts seem a little more successful. Although it's faint, he will be able to pickup the minor vibrations of people moving. There isn't much movement, but it's definitely there. Coming from all directions... Judging by the town's layout, with the park and businesses at the centre, the movement is coming from the outer residential areas. Thankfully only a short walk due to the town's small size.
Zephyr Windstar	Zephyr shrugs, and dismisses Divine Wind to Standby mode, placing the coin into her bracer. She remains in her Barrier Jacket though. "Alright, if magic tracking won't work, we'll have to do it the old fashioned way! I'll take a look from above, see if I can spot anything." she says, hopping away from the group, before launching herself skywards on a quartet of dark purple 'wings' the sprout from her shoulderblades. She leaves a glowing purple trail in her wake, which slowly fades away, like an aeroplanes contrail.
Artyom W. Valodjn	Artyom makes a soft, curious noise as he feels... Something. Footsteps, from everywhere in a distant ring. The geomancer turns away from the city center, and wordlessly begins making his way out into the residential district. He casts a curious glance back towards the Unionites- and the judge-prince among them- before giving a slight shrug. If they think he's onto something, they may just follow. For now, though, the Titan is moving towards the residential district, his hand twitching on occasion whenever someone or something causes a distinct vibration in the earth. He pre-emptively reaches about and unbuckles the secondary supports keeping his weapon strapped to his shoulders. If he needs to draw it, it'll at least be ready.
Shizune Nakamura	A lot of magical interference... hmm. "Doing it the old-fashioned way? Some of us are stuck there all the time," Shizune replies to Zephyr with a hint of teasing. Landon receives a polite bow of greeting, and then, before she can offer the same to Art... the man turns to get moving. "...now he looks as if he's got a plan," she observes. "I have no real better ideas. I think we should follow him." And unless someone raises any objections, that's exactly what the martial artist will do.
Ysuran	Ysuran blinks at Alicia's holographic screens. He can't read them, but apparently she can. Though they don't appear to be giving her much information, if her words are any indication. Zehpyr's taking off into the sky gets a surprised look from him--purple wings? Blink. And then Artyom is walking away. Shizune's statement gets a nod and Ysuran follows as well. For the time being he doesn't summon anything, and keeps his tome closed. No sense in scaring anyone unless something happens to want to attack them.
Alicia T. Harlaown	The view from above seems to be just as empty as from down below. No one on the streets, no one in their yards... Just... No one. Back down on the ground, Alicia lets her holoscreens blink out... Then she blinks as Artyom begins to walk off, looking like he has a purpose. She doesn't know him, but... "Ehehe... Well, I guess that's as good a direction to start in as any." Alicia begins to walk. She's not following Artyom, really! She just happens to think it's a good direction to go. Honest! As the group begins to move through the town, businesses start to give way to homes. Under normal circumstances they would be considered quite nice... Once you get past the lawns which look like they haven't been mowed in months. Cars are parked in drive ways or on the street. Parked, intentionally... Though there's an awful smell coming from that refrigeration truck they just passed. Considering the fishery logo on the side... You probably don't want to open it. Toys and bikes lie barely visible within the tall grass. The houses themselves are perfectly intact, no signs of damage or-Wait! There! Through the windows, people! Indeed, although not all houses are open for view from outside, those that are sometimes show people. They're there, moving. Though for those with good ears, they may notice the silence... None of them seem to be talking. However, they all seem to be fine, in no distress. But all they are doing is sitting. Sitting... and drinking. Whether it's at the dining room table, or the lounge, or at a desk, kitchen bench... Just sitting and drinking.
Landon al Cid	This is...odd. Perhaps even spooky. Landon doesn't often feel spooked, but the presence of the silent, drinking people gave him a strange feeling. It was one of those tingles in the back of his neck, those goosebump-sort-of situations where he doesn't want to be nervous but he is anyway, and he can't quite put his finger on why. In the silence, Artyom is quite easy to follow. Landon spins the Law Card in his fingers again looking from side to side at the houses. Each family... It seemed...terribly important. "Are these people going to be alright?" He asks finally.
Zephyr Windstar	As she expected, she can't see anything from above, but she prefers to be flying than walking. Once she's done a quick flyby of the outer ring of residences, the aerial mage drops back down to float along beside the group. "Yeah, this is eerie as shit. Any idea where the Logia is? I mean, the rumors are about tea, right? There like a... tea factory or something 'round here?" she asks, looking to Alicia. "Think we could rouse one of these people to tell us?"
Artyom W. Valodjn	Artyom peers into the windows as they begin moving through the residential district. The brief rotting reek of fish causes him to recoil briefly, before he clears his mind with a shake of his head. All of those people are again the subjects of his attention. All of them... Drinking. Drinking. Drinking... tea? "Oh dear," Artyom murmurs, rubbing at his chin. "I may have made a grave mistake. Yes, a grave mistake indeed." He stares into the windows. "The tea. The tea was too good. /Too/ terrific. If that is tea, then..." The gears turn. Ohhh that's not good tea. Or maybe the problem is that it's way too good?
Ysuran	The scent of the fish truck gets a scowl from Ysuran, and he covers his mouth and nose as they pass it. Elves of his world have rather fair dispositions, after all, and tend to be affected by such things sharply. He is only too glad to get away from that thing. Ew. But then... people are just drinking tea? Well, if it is the tea. "Why would tea have this great an effect?" he inquires. "If it is the tea, what does it accomplish?" It wouldn't have that kind of effect if it wasn't accomplishing something, right?
Shizune Nakamura	...Rumors of an amazing, perfect ultimate tea, a Lost Logia being active in the area, and now they see people sitting inside their houses doing nothing but drinking, and apparently having done so for months. It doesn't take a genius to do that math. "...if this was the tea," Shizune finishes for Arty, "Then I think we've found your Lost Logia, Miss Harlaown." She looks around at Art and Ysuran, expression growing serious. "We're dealing with some sort of magical artifact, and not the kind that's safe or pleasant to have. I believe Miss Harlaown and Miss Windstar can tell you more than I, though." Already, she's flexing and curling her fingers, limbering up subtly.
Landon al Cid	"What it accomplishes," the Prince of Ramuh observes quietly, "Is complete, total pacification."
Alicia T. Harlaown	Alicia hmmms quietly at one of Zephyr's questions. She raises her hand to look at the gem on her bracelet, "Melody?" The Device chimes and a holoscreen appears. This time it's easier to recognise: A map. Judging by the format, possibly a zone map displaying commercial and residential identifiers. Sweet Melody then chimes again, <There is no factory registered.> So... Where are they getting the tea? As for another of Zephyr's questions, Alicia shakes her head, "I'm afraid I wasn't able to find any information at all on the Lost Logia's location... I was kind of hoping we'd be able to pick it up, but the magical interference is preventing that. Though I suspect the interference itself is from the Lost Logia..." Of course, since she said it's coming from all around, it makes her wonder what kind of Lost Logia it is... Looking at Shizune, Alicia nods, "It's likely that the Lost Logia is involved in this somehow... But as for the details, I don't know yet. It'd be /very/ strange if the Lost Logia was the tea itself. That's not how they work... No, there's something else going on here." As for asking the people... It's worth a shot? Alicia turns towards one of the houses and walks up to the door. She briefly considers for a moment... Then decides to knock. There's the sound of rustling inside, then someone walking across the wood floors. The door creaks open and an old woman steps out. At the sight of Alicia, she grins wildly, "Why hello dear! You look a little troubled. Why don't you come in and relax? Your friends are all welcome too! We just finished brewing a lovely batch of tea that you all must try!" Alicia blinks and looks back at the others questioningly.
Zephyr Windstar	Dropping back to her feet, Zephyr follows after Alicia. As the resident opens the door, "Actually we'd like to ask where you're getting that tea from... I'm sure my dad would love to try it, but he's really busy with work." she chimes in, smiling pleasantly. It's worth a shot, at least?
Alicia T. Harlaown	The old woman seems happy to learn of others that might enjoy the tea, "I'm afraid it's a local blend, only made here. We brew the tea leaves ourselves, the old fashioned way! You really should try it..." The old woman turns to the house interior and calls, "Dear, why don't you bring the tea set for our guests?" A few moments later and older gentleman comes out of the living room, holding a tray with a tea set. The smell coming from the tea pot is quite spectacular, appealing to everyone despite their tastes. The old lady takes a cup and offers it to the group, "You really must try it! It's wonderful!"
Landon al Cid	Upon putting together the idea of /people being pacified/ with /super magic god tea/, Landon's immediate response at the old woman's offer is to enter Diplomacy Mode. Zephyr puts her metaphorical foot forward. Landon moves to catch it and reinforce her. SOmetimes blunt is the best way, but not always - and Landon was a diplomat born, bred, and trained. He might be able to turn this bluntness into something powerful. "I have no doubt," the Prince observes, his accent refined and regal as the shoulders and cape of his heavy armor shift, "That she can see through a ruse that simple, my dear lady. We are, after all, heavily-armed, and this town is so very peaceful." "The truth is," Landon says slowly, "We had hoped that we might learn where to buy this tea for our own purposes. We had heard of the stuff from far across the land, and came looking - not merely out of an interest in the tea, but an interest in money, as well. After all, a tea so potent, so powerful, would be highly-prized in faraway places." "And I have no doubt that many, /many/ people from the stress-filled cities would love to try this local blend." "If this is your own recipe, we might be able to negotiate some sort of fair price...?"
Shizune Nakamura	The tea smells absolutely delicious to Shizune, and realizing that fact just makes it all the more intimidating instantly. She takes a deep breath, forcing her ki to flow, nice and steady - purging outside influence, clearing her mind. She's about to begin speaking when Landon does it for her, and it's an interesting enough angle to approach things from that she's curious to see how it pans out.
Artyom W. Valodjn	"Somewhat worse than that," Artyom murmurs in Landon's general direction. "Not just pacification, but... supplication. Addiction," he eyes the open door warily, and slowly moves to shift subtly behind a different house in general. "It seems like normal tea," he muses in quiet whispers to himself, "Only monstrously more so."
Ysuran	Ysuran looks to Landon at the statement. Blinks. "... You do have a point," he agrees with a nod. "Though that raises more questions..." Then doors are being knocked on. Ysuran is quick to follow, though he hangs back. While the others are distracting the tea-totalers, Ysuran focuses his senses on the tea in that cup. He can sense magic, and he's hoping to have long enough to concentrate on the tea. Is it magical? Because magical tea in his world isn't so odd a thing...
Alicia T. Harlaown	Unfortunately for Ysuran, his senses suffer much the same as Alicia's sensors. The sheer volume of magic surrounding them simply drowns out everything else. His attempts to analyse any magic in the tea is ultimately inconclusive. The old lady doesn't seem concerned by the weapons, or the strangeness of some of those present. Nor does she seem insulted by an attempted ruse, or interested in Landon's offer of wealth. Instead she chuckles quietly and says, "Oh, there's no need to offer us money for this tea. It is freely available, just look." The old lady steps out of the house, walking into her yard and over to a vine that has grown around one of the house's supports. She plucks a few leaves off the vine... And strangely enough, new ones grow back to replace them almost immediately. She walks back to the group and smiles, offering the leaves in her hand, "See? There's more than enough for everyone! Please take them and try it for yourselves." Alicia is definitely a little disturbed by all this, but she manages a smile and says, "T-Thanks..." She takes the leaves, looking them over closely... Though with all the interference, there's not much she can do to analyse them... Or the plant for that matter.
Artyom W. Valodjn	Vines? Interesting. Artyom makes another soft, curious noise as he approaches one of the long lengths of plant matter. He gently plucks a few of the leaves from the thing, and gingerly begins storing them in a small, leather pouch at his waist. He lifts his hands to the vine, then, and begins focusing on the... whatever it is. Soft, green-and-gold light begins filtering from his palms. It seems Artyom is trying to cast something close to Identify Plant!
Alicia T. Harlaown	# / v \ / / \ HP ???? / ???? / \|<# \ Lvl ?? / ?? \| #>\| \| Fire: Weak \| / \| Water: Immune \| \|--<# \| Lightning: Normal \| \ \| Ice: Normal \| #>\ \| \| \ \| Ultima Tea \| \-<# \| \ \| / This plant seems to be the source of \ / tea for the entire town. Its vines stretch \ / deep into the ground and pop up again all around town. They are all connected together into the one plant.
Shizune Nakamura	Shizune leans her head to one side, politely examining the leaves, but rather than take one, she asks with a curious tone, "The tea does smell absolutely delicious. When did you all discover it? Did these vines start growing recently, or were they always there and you simply never tried brewing tea from them before?"
Artyom W. Valodjn	Artyom blinks. HP ???? / ???? and Lvl ?? / ?? That's not right! These things usually either come with some kind of hp and level total, or they have neither! The former only happens with plants that are also monster-- oh ohhhhhhh Artyom blinks a couple of times and slowly starts edging away from the vine. Easy now, mister tea vine of indeterminate power.
Alicia T. Harlaown	At the mention of the land's topography, Alicia is reminded of a geological survey she stumbled upon while researching the town for this mission. Another wave of her hand and the scans show up on a holoscreen, "It appears that there are a whole bunch of caverns running beneath the town... Only a small percentage of them, those near the surface, have been mapped by ground penetrating radar. Unfortunately I don't know of any entrances into the tunnel system..." Meanwhile, the old lady smiles happily at Shizune, "Oh, it was only recently! Why, a few days I suppose... One of my neighbours mentioned it as I was passing by." It's at this point she realises the disarray of her front yard, "Oh my, how did it get so messy out here... Oh well. Nothing a good cup of tea won't solve!" She heads back to her husband, still holding that tea tray, and takes a sip from one of the cups. She seems to really enjoy it!
Zephyr Windstar	"No entrances? Could we make one ourselves?" asks Zephyr, ignoring the woman and her husband entirely as she peers at the holoscreens. "Hmm, why'd it hafta be underground? They're /always/ underground!" she gripes.
Alicia T. Harlaown	Alicia checks the map, "Well... There is a small tunnel around here near the surface. Hmmm..." She turns for a moment, then points across the street, "There!" Across the street there is a small construction site. It looks like it started off as a new home under construction, however at some point someone decided to pour a whole freaking lot of concrete into it. Definitely not on the plans, if the half-encased walls and doorways are any indication. The site seems to have been abandonded since then, likely a few months ago.
Artyom W. Valodjn	Artyom thinks for a moment. He considers bringing some of this stuff back to the Zaibatsu, ponders the possible applications. Taken to the extreme, it could mean mind control. But in small amounts... Anxiety medication? What else? He murmurs quietly, before taking a very small, discrete cutting of the ivy. For study. Of course. "I could do that, possibly," he says, looking over at the others. "It's a simple matter. Open the land and we enter. The tunnels below, I can feel them out, if I so wished." Artyom inclines his head, "Perhaps then we can come to the bottom of all this."
Zephyr Windstar	Zephyr looks over at Artyom, and just deadpans. "Bottom. Funny." she states in monotone.
Landon al Cid	"It may be wise," Landon observes, "Not to use the prepared tunnel. But then, messing about with the landscape may cause damage to the thing we're here to collect, or - more worryingly - the homes of the people above."
Artyom W. Valodjn	"Do not understimate the Valodjn Family's geomancy, your highness," Artyom says with a slight smile as he begins focusing on the land under his feet. "Give me a moment, I'll see about mapping things out."
Landon al Cid	"I don't underestimate you, but if these magical artifacts respond to the presence of power, even your careful geomancy might awaken it and cause problems for these people. And in their current state," Landon murmurs, "I wonder if they'd even bother to flee for their lives." "We can't risk it."
Artyom W. Valodjn	"Mmn, I suppose," Artyom shrugs, "Well, I leave it to you all to decide. I will still attempt to map the underground, however. It will save time in the long run."
Zephyr Windstar	"Hey, Big Guy? Map out the closer tunnels, then crack open that entry way... it's not ideal, but it'll probably be safer than making a brand new hole." says Zephyr, thumbing over to the concreted up construction site. "I'd just blast it open with a Bombardment-type spell, but that'd be flashy, noisy and magic heavy." a smirk. "Not what we're after right now."
Alicia T. Harlaown	Perhaps surprisingly to him, Artyom doesn't encounter much trouble from the magical interference in mapping out a path to follow the underground plant structure. Perhaps it is his type of magic, more attune to that of the source of the interference, that allows him to cut through it better than most.
Artyom W. Valodjn	"Alright," Artyom says with a nod as the mapped outline of the tunnels lights up in his mind. "That would be doable. One moment," he drops to one knee and lightly presses a rough, opaque quartz into the ground. He lays a hand atop the crystal, and then focuses on the land. A thin seam creeps across the ground, which then slithers towards- and then over- the concrete seal. It rumbles, briefly, bits of concrete falling away, before the entire thing hinges away from the seam like a set of doors.
Alicia T. Harlaown	The concrete splits apart to reveal a small hole, leading down into the larger tunnel beneath. Judging by the tool marks on the edge of the hole, it was not created naturally. The tunnel itself does appear natural, slowing down into the depths of the underground. Of course there's no light down here, so hopefully everyone has something they can use! Having made her away over to the construction site to take a look, Alicia looks down into the hole... "Wow, it's dark down there... Doesn't look very safe either." Silver light surrounds her, then vanishes with a flash. Alicia is now dressed in her Barrier Jacket, staff in hand. She smiles at the others, "Well, our path is clear!" She jumps down into the hole.
Artyom W. Valodjn	Artyom nods, following Alicia into the depths. "I am willing to take point if you like," he says, tapping at his temples, "I've got this place memorized, now. More or less."
Zephyr Windstar	"I've got a spell for this... lets just hope it doesn't wake up tall dark and ancient artefact." jokes Zephyr, as she glances at her wrist. "Dee? Luminal Wisp." The Device chimes resonantly. <LUMINAL WISP!> causing several glowing purple 'wisps' to spall from the gem. These take up point around each member of the party, giving them a personal 'aura' of purple-tinged light to see by. A couple are left free, and proceed to 'take point' leading the way forward. "I modified the Area Search spell. Doesn't detect anything, but s'useful as a light source at least!"
Landon al Cid	Landon follows them down, moving into a more central position. He intends to be able to protect everyone there if it comes to blows; the Judge is, after all, primarily a tank. The Job was designed to protect the innocent and help others, so he could at least do that much, even if he was a bit out of his depth here. Still...it's also a bit exciting. Seeing something lost for centuries like this...it was a thrilling experience like no other.
Alicia T. Harlaown	The journey through the tunnels seems long, in the darkness, with uneven footing. However it is actually quite short. Soon enough the group will start to notice more and more vines sticking out of the walls, the ceiling, even the ground. It soon becomes hard to find solid ground to accomodate a foot. It's at about this point that the ground around the group begins to shake... An earthquake!? No, the phenomena is more localized. Suddenly a huge mass of vines burst out of the side of the tunnel, smashing into the other and digging in tight. The vines tighten up around each other, forming a thick barrier to halt progression.
Zephyr Windstar	"Looks like it knows we're here..." notes Zephyr wearily. "Sometimes I wish these things would just come quietly... y'know, just to shake up the status quo." She steps forward and pokes at the vines. "Should we just cut through?"
Shizune Nakamura	Though the dark is something of a hindrance to Shizune, the footing is much less so. Naturally catlike in her balance, the martial artist easily picks her way through the tunnel with careful foot placement and some judicious caution. But their presence doesn't seem to have gone unnoticed. Moreover, the vines are actively, seemingly deliberately, barring their passage. That means that things could easily get very difficult in the tunnels, but Shizune remains calm, adjusting her glasses absently. "If we have to, perhaps, but that also might agitate the vines," she replies to Zephyr. "They're already a large danger."
Artyom W. Valodjn	Artyom makes a soft, uncomfortable noise in his throat when he feels the earth begin to churn under his feet. And then a giant mess of vines shoot out and seal off their progress. "Well, that's a problem," he murmurs, then presses his hands together and then places them flat against the ground below. "Let's not declare our hostility immediately. Whatever this thing is doing, it isn't... directly killing the people above." "We may be able to come to terms. One moment." Artyom focuses on the land, and then endeavors to open a new path forward, preferably through nice, sturdy rock.
Alicia T. Harlaown	Alicia really wishes she could have her own map. Not that she doesn't trust Artyom... It's just she feels a little lost without one. The sudden burst of vines from the wall surprises Alicia, forcing her to take a step back on instinct. However once it becomes clear they're not yet under attack, Alicia takes a few cautious steps forward towards the vine wall. Placing her hand on the vines, Alicia considers for a moment, then says, "I don't think there's any hostile intent here... Not yet. But..." Thankfully, it seems Artyom has another possible solution. The tunnel created by the geomancer opens up, swerving around the vine blockage and heading further in the direction of the source of the vines. Thankfully, much of the tunnel also goes through rock, which should protect the group. Alicia smiles, "Well, that should work." She begins to follow the new path, while asking Artyom and to an extent, the others, "You think we might be able to solve this without attacking?" Alicia doesn't she's ever seen a Lost Logia of this class sealed without a fight before...
Artyom W. Valodjn	"I do not think it is outside the realm of possibility," Artyom says with a shrug as he moves through the newly formed tunnel. "Consider that this creature could, if it desired, crush us beneath the land at any time. It has only attempted to prevent our advance," he has to duck a little to make it through. "I believe it is frightened of us. It can clearly sense its surroundings, and if it is magical, then it likely senses that as well." He glances back at Alicia, "We may be able to convince it to be more... Subtle in its rampancy, yes? All green, growing things want to spread and thrive."
Landon al Cid	"I'm not against that," Landon admits, "But what about the tea? These people are in jeapordy as long as it's here...unless the effect is less profound than we imagine it to be?" The Prince has seen some truly weird plant-based stuff in his life. The vines don't prompt him to do much beyond move in front of the rest of the group in standard Covering formation, in case they attack. He's got good reflexes.
Artyom W. Valodjn	"It is possible that the plant has... ah... amplified the effects of its leaves in response to some percieved threat from above," Artyom says, musing idly on the various possibilities. "If we can convince it that it is in its best interest to allow the people above to cultivate it as people are wont to do, it may be willing to reduce its own efficacy somewhat," he considers a moment, then adds, "It would also help reduce its resource expenditure. It does not seem interested in reducing the people above to compost, at least."
Alicia T. Harlaown	Alicia nods in agreement with Landon, "Besides, I don't think TSAB policy allows us to just leave the Lost Logia here... The whole reason for hunting them is to keep them from getting into the wrong hands." A shadow falls over Alicia's face as she says, "We've already seen what Lost Logia can do in the wrong hands... It's devestating..." Shaking off the memories, Alicia returns to the present and says, "Also, barring a few exceptions, Lost Logia aren't really designed to respond to convincing... Though..." She considers... ... Or atleast she would, if the ground didn't start rumbling again. Could they do it? Could the vines really break through rock? Of course. Vines starts to burst out of all surfaces of Artyom's new tunnel, the soft glow of magic surrounding each one. They rush towards the group, trying to wrap themselves around them. Alicia quickly creates a round barrier to protect herself, the vines bouncing off. She cries out, "I think we're getting close!" Sure enough, there is a light at the end of the tunnel that is not of the group's making.
Shizune Nakamura	"I can certainly hope for a peaceful resolution," Shizune offers to Alicia, "But I'm prepared for the worst nonetheless." She turns her attention to Artyom next. "If this plant itself is the Lost Logia, my understanding is it will have to be removed. The way it was explained to me, all of them are powerful and very unstable magical artifacts. It's like leaving an armed bomb somewhere and hoping it won't ex-" Vines. Shizune's reaction times are impressive. She goes from talking to bringing one hand around in a deflection with only a fraction of a second's warning, such that by the time a vine reaches her, it's met with a palm strike absolutely loaded with ki. "TAH!" Her reflexive defense buys her a moment in which to say, "I somehow get the impression that diplomacy isn't an option." And then she's all motion, flowing and shifting through a graceful series of movements that take her around, over and between vines - with her hands and feet snapping out here and there to take opportunistic shots at the attacking plant matter.
Artyom W. Valodjn	Seems like their host is getting desperate. Artyom makes another soft grunt before unslinging his greatsword. His will and the strength of the earth surge into the blade, causing it to rumble and surge with power. The Geomancer drives its cutting edge into the incoming vines as he- and some of the others around him- would find themselves sliding forward on a sledge of moving earth. "Do not make assumptions! I do not know whether this is a 'Lost Logia' or whatever, but it is intelligent. If we can negotiate, we must!"
Ysuran	Ysuran has no such barriers to protect him. Nor is he what one would call a great prodigy at dodging. So he stays behind the others, and keeps as many people between himself and those vines as possible. Since they'dbeen asked not to do anything flashy, Ysuran keeps to batting the vines away from him with his staff.
Zephyr Windstar	Zephyr growls softly, pulling the coin from her bracer. "SET UP!" with a flash, Mistral Form appears in the mage's left hand. "Majority of Lost Logia of this class? Mindless automotons. This is probably part of its Defense System, designed to protect the core artefact." she says over the rumbling and rushing sound of vines. "Punch through the blockade, we need to get to the core, and seal it before it decides to bring the entire cave system down on top of us!" She sweeps her short blade to deflect the vines, but out of the sake of a possible diplomatic solution, doesn't cut any of them, using a magic sheath to blunt the axe blade.
Landon al Cid	Others may not have barriers, but Landon al Cid is a Judge - one who wields the Law to protect the innocent. He is loaded with Barriers. His primary weapon is a barrier of pure law shaped like a giant, unwieldy pizza-cutter sword. His primary spells are all giant barriers. He is a Barrier Knight in every sense of the word. And that is exactly what Landon brings to bear here. As the vines explode outwards, Landon draws two cards out of nowhere. He fills them with Magic Particles, a blue pattern exploding to light in between the paper. Power gathers around him as he conjures the power of the Law Cards into being. The first is a barrier that drops in front of the group, a solid wall of crystallized Law, magic, and force to protect them from the initial burst of the vines. Hopefully, those who don't have special protections can get behind it before they get plastered, or worse. The second Card is more of a test, but if it works, it might help them get through the hallway before it's too late. If people are listening, they might even hear Landon's murmured whisper: By the authority of the al Cid family of Ramuh and for the sake of the innocent whom your actions endanger I hereby pronounce your guilt and the sentence is: SLOW! Crystal words - the literal embodiment of Landon's pronouncement - spawn out of the air, spinning furiously down the tunnel. They warp and weave along the vines like restraints, as if to slow them, even for a moment - even for a moment.
Alicia T. Harlaown	Smacking the vines does at least slow them down for a few moments. A good thing since the group seem unwilling to cut into them. Shizune's hands and feet knock the vines about, sending them flying away until they can stop and recover. The blades of Artyom and Zephyr block and push the vines to the side, keeping them from getting a good grip on them or any of the others. Landon's main barrier forms ahead of the group, blocking all the vines trying to approach from that direction. Combined with the sledge of moving earth created by Artyom that is carrying everyone forward, it creates a battering ram to knock aside the vines. Finally his words slow the vines, reducing the numbers that the group need to deal with. Meanwhile, Alicia appears distracted as she maintains a Round Barrier to protect herself from those vines that get past the others. She watches as they are all carried towards the end of the tunnel and that shining, warm light... Whatever is driving the plant seems to be getting more and more desperate, more vines bursting out of the rocky walls towards everyone. And yet the vines, apparently capable of inflicting considerable damage, if their ability to drill through solid rock is any indication, are still only attempting to wrap around and trap the members of the group. Finally the group burst through the tunnel opening and out into a massive underground cavern. The vines seem to stop their assault at this point and the reason why soon becomes clear. The interior of the massive cavern is filled with flora of all kinds, many of them growing along the walls where they would likely be hurt should the vines breach them, not to mention risking the stability of the ceiling. There are paths through the plants and trees, all natural and yet surprisingly spaced just right for the members of the group to walk through in single file. They all lead towards the centre of the cavern, where the mass of vines flows from out of the ground and up into the ceiling. In the centre of the cavern they form a partial shell around an object, the source of the soft warm glow that lights up the cavern and is likely sustaining the life here.
Alicia T. Harlaown	Ysuran ends up in a tug of war as some vines attempt to wrap around his staff and pull it away from him. But he wins in the end, managing to knock them away before entering the cavern.
Artyom W. Valodjn	Over the tubers and through the woods. Artyom passes through the thrashing nest of vines and lands safely in the light beyond. He lands firmly on the single-file corridor. "It's desperate. More and more desperate," Artyom murmurs, moving forward through to the center of the cavern, his heavy blade slung against one shoulder. "Do not disturb too much, it is scared. We may yet--" And then they reach the center of the chamber. Artyom takes more careful steps here, extending an arm to try and arrest any overly aggressive advances on the part of his fellow spelunkers. "Whatever genius locus inhabits this place, we request parley. It is not our desire to bring harm to you if we need not do so!" He may be talking a step too far here, "Come and let us speak, that we may come to terms!"
Zephyr Windstar	Zephyr glances back to Alicia, passing a look that says 'Be Ready', while letting Artyom try his piece. She doesn't dismis her Device, but holds it down and away in a defensive grip near the head of the axe, her fingers guarded by the blade. She's careful to remain on the pathway, and watches where she puts her feet so she doesn't damage the plantlife living and growing in the area.
Ysuran	Being a mage of dead things, Ysuran's never really gotten along with nature very well, unlike his elven relatives. So after he gets his staff back from the vine-- probably after a few kicks-- he ducks into the chamber with the others. And as Artyom starts trying to speak to whatever it is, Ysuran stays back so as not to disturb the attempts to reason.
Alicia T. Harlaown	"There is only one term, young man." The artifact speaks! ... No wait, that voice is familiar. Sweet Melody chimes, <Caution, Master. We are not alone.> Alicia turns to look. From the other tunnels leading to this cavern, shadows begin to exit. As they come into the light of the artifact, they can be recognised as people. The people of the town. And the one who spoke, is obviously the old woman. The townspeople's numbers are much greater than those of the group, filing into the cavern and moving to surround them, though there is no threat in their body language. Once they have formed a circle around the six, the old woman steps forth to explain the term, "Drink the tea." She raises the cup in her hand up to Artyom. A young girl raises a cup to Shizune. A young man raises his cup to Landon. Likewise a young woman raises hers to Ysuran. And a pair of twin teenage boys raise theirs to Zephyr and Alicia. Alicia looks a little hesitant, unsure and lost without her ability to gather and analyse information... She glances at the others.
Landon al Cid	Landon's eyes flash behind his helmet. "Unacceptable," Landon declares, "I am the Prince of the al Cid family. My line has stood against tyranny and corruption, has stood against those who would abuse their power and wield their might to harm and exploit the innocent. I will not surrender my will to you. I will not negotiate with you. I will not permit you to continue this farce, creature." Landon's Judge Blade manifests in a flash of light, the crystalline weapon levelled in his hand at the center of the cavern. "You have exploited these people, worked your way into their minds with your foul tea. You have poisoned them with your essence, addicted them to yourself, and you seek to spread further, beyond the bounds of this little fief you have for youself constructed. You wield them against us to pin us down, to hold us off, to make us incapable of fighting back. You shield yourself behind the innocent as if that might protect you." Landon's fingers clench around the crystalline Judge Blade. "But you are wrong." "For these crimes, you cannot be permitted to continue your existence. Here are your /terms/. Surrender. Release them from your control." Landon strides forward, blade in hand, Law Card in the other. He readies the card, pulsing blue light in his hand. "Relinquish your hold over this place, and you may be spared." "Fight back, and I promise you that your servants will be incapacitated, that your tyrant-throne will fall to ruin, and that the people you have subjugated will be freed." Landon swings his sword forward. "This, I declare! Let all tyrants run before my blade! I pronounce you: GUILTY!"
Artyom W. Valodjn	Artyom's eyes stare into the old woman's own. He inclines his head slightly, but does not yet touch the tea. He shoots a glare towards Landon, then looks back to the woman, "Tell me, before I do this, what happened here. We heard rumors of a bustling town, of commerce, but when we came there was... Nothing. How did you come across this tea, this plant? And why do you do nothing but drink it in your homes?" "I wish to know," he says, frowning, "Else I'm afraid these people will do what they had come here to do."
Ysuran	Ysuran tilts his head away from the tea. "No," he says simply. Further continuing, "I have seen what that tea does to those who drink it. Even now the city above crumbles from neglect because that tea has enslaved them. I will not be forced into dawdling here for the rest of my life. If those are your only terms and you refuse to negotiate more, then you will force me to defend myself." Landon's statement rings out, and Ysuran begins to chant. He's calling forth a Shadow to defend him-- a vagely humanoid thing made of living shadows that crouches before him like a great dog. He doesn't attack YET, but he is clearly ready to.
Alicia T. Harlaown	The old woman simply smiles in response to Artyom and says, "The tea came to us, discovered by accident but then shared through desire. A desire to protect this. That is our sole purpose now." There are murmurs of agreement from all the townspeople. The accusations of Landon and refusal of Ysuran do not yet provoke a response, as they are not yet taking action to attack. Their words seem to do little to dissuade the people from their goal. For now, those holding the tea simply offer it again and the old woman says, "If you wish to understand, then drink."
Shizune Nakamura	There are many things true of martial arts; one of them is restraint. Knowing how to disable an opponent without causing them significant injury. Shizune has seldom had to use her talents on a little girl, and it feels bad doing so. But the tea is dangerous, and if she can avoid hurting them overmuch in the process... Shizune has a hand on the girl's wrist in a heartbeat, holding it just steady enough that she can snatch the tea with her other hand and pitch it to one side, letting the glass shatter. Then in the space of a heartbeat, she's hopping up and darting her way towards Landon, hopping from foothold to foothold. She's a little to exposed in a place like this without someone to back her up.
Artyom W. Valodjn	Artyom... Pauses. He glances back at Landon. "Prince, bolster my will as best you can. Should the worst happen, do what you must," he looks to the old woman then, and then to the tea. And then he takes a sip. Only a small one, though, because some things must be understood.
Zephyr Windstar	"Okay, this passed freak city and took a nosedive right into creepy town." stats Zephyr. "Get in my way, and I'll cut you in half. Stand aside, now, this is your only warning. I'm gonna seal the Lost Logia and end this farse, right now." Blunt as always, she goes to pass through the crowd towards the glow of the artefact. But then Shizune's moving, and Zephyr growls... "Falka d'sraph Mi'rahl." She kicks off the ground, throws her right hand forwards and with the clarion call of <IMPACT BULLET!> a non-lethal wave of force emits from the open palm, aimed at knocking people down and away so she can get through. "Shizune, keep 'em off me, I'm gonna seal this Pr'mlinth thing!"
Landon al Cid	Landon was about to protest, on account of not having any buffs. But then Artyom goes ahead and drinks the tea. Landon almost swears, but he's much too classy for that. Instead, the twin Law Cards in his hands flick outwards, filling with blue light once more. "SLOW!" "STOP!" The words of the Slow appear above his head, joined with a new set of word-forged chains. Letters wrapped together in links swirl towards the helpless people urging them to drink the tea. They move to close around legs, to bind hands, to slow and stagger the people - and, in the Slow's case, Artyom, just in case his will isn't enough to beat the tea. It's not like it's permanent and it's not like it's going to last, but in case the Lost Logia DOES hijack Artyom, at least it won't be able to act before they do. The Stop spell winds itself around towards the vines. The people don't need to be Stopped; the vines...well, they might. They were big enough that they might cause serious problems for everyone otherwise. Even if it doesn't work, it's worth a shot - in case this becomes more violent.
Ysuran	"Fool!" Ysuran hisses as Artyom sips the tea. That's probably all it takes for the magic to begin its work, whatever it is. And immediately Ysuran grabs a handful of earth from the wall. Chanting quickly, the debris in his hand begins to smoke with a horrible green aura. Then he flings this handful of dirt and rocks directly at the place on the vines where they partially shield whatever object. His Shadow takes that as a signal to attack. Hissing, it bounds over to the vines, beginning to claw into the wall of vines.
Alicia T. Harlaown	It happens in literally the same moment in time... Shizune, grabbing the young girl's hand and destroying the cup she offered. Then beginning to make her way to Landon. Zephyr launching into the air and unleashing her wave of magic to knock over a large portion of the townspeople. The remaining cups of tea are all destroyed in the process. Landon unleashing his words to slow the people and stop te vines. Ysuran trying to break through the shell of vines protecting the artifact. Alicia, intending to use the chaos to seal the Lost Logia, swinging her staff around and preparing her spell. And Artyom, reaching out to accept the tea and taking a sip.
Alicia T. Harlaown	There is a massive flash of light from the Lost Logia, encompassing the entire cavern and forcing everyone to pause for just a moment... And then it vanishes, along with the soft light of the strange artifact. With the light gone, the object is now visible: A simple dodecahedron shape, hiding the incredible power beneath. The object falls to the ground and rolls to a stop, now inert. The townspeople seem dazed for a moment, before slowly backing away in surprise from the armed elites. Questions begin to arise along the lines of, 'What's going on?' and 'How did I get here?' The confusion of the townspeople is evident, and they no longer seem to be enthralled. Surprised, but no less relieved, Alicia cautiously steps towards the Lost Logia. She lowers her staff down towards it, Sweet Melody chiming, <Sealing.> Two spell circles appear around the artifact, before shrinking to sieze it. Sweet Melody then finishes, <Successful.>
Shizune Nakamura	Shizune takes the initiative almost immediately. "Ah, everyone, if I could have your attention, please." She calls out with a loud, steady voice, adopting a tone of friendly authority and knowledge. "My name is Shizune Nakamura. I'm an Elite with the Union. We came here because of some strange readings and discovered that your town's been under... let's call it a kind of spell, to keep things simple. We came here to rescue you, and we've managed to lift the spell. If you'll all follow us, we'll be glad to lead you out of here, and answer any questions you have along the way. But I want to stress for right now- you're safe, and we're going to take you back home first thing." In times of chaos and confusion, it's always comforting for someone to take charge and ensure things go smoothly.
Zephyr Windstar	Zephyr blinks as Alicia gets to the Lost Logia before her. "Wow, yer faster than I thought." she comments, dropping down to the ground again, before stooping to help one of those she knocked over back up. "Heh, sorry if I roughed ya up. But like my friend over there said, you're safe. We'll getchya home and answer questions once we're outta here." she thumbs up to Shizune. "I'm Zephyr Windstar, Time-Space Administrative Bureau member and Union Elite."
Artyom W. Valodjn	Memories. The dreams of an ancient intelligence, older than the aeons themselves. Older than the kingdoms upon the plates. Artyom sucks in a breath as the thoughts flood through his mind. The Titan staggers back- though sluggishly, as Landon's magic twists at his presence in linear space-time. But his magic does not stop the flow of memories entering his mind. His back goes stark still, his eyes go wide. It's not trying to kill, not trying to destroy- it's doing... the exact opposite. It is a defender of life. A cultivator of nature. It is, quite literally, the originator of all life on this world. But over all that time, of carefully nurturing life, it could not maintain itself. Time wore upon it as time wears upon everything, and it had begun to... degrade. But it never forgot. It held on. Hot tears bead in the corners of Artyom's eyes as, in that instant, he achieves dialogue- and whatever warning he could muster was heard. A flash of light and understanding blinds him. The violence comes to a halt, Alicia binds the Logia, and Artyom's connection is severed. He drops to his knees, then catches himself as he pitches forward, his sword falling with a solid thud to the ground at his side. His breaths are ragged and stay that way for a short while as he blinks away the blinding onslaught of information. He stays there for a few moments yet, before, trembling he straightens his back- though his hands remain on his knees, curling tight into the cloak that hangs from his shoulders. "Wizard," Artyom says, uneasily, "I must... I must speak with you. About that device."
Zephyr Windstar	Zephyr looks over at Artyom. "Y'might wanna take it easy there buddy." she says, ushering civilians to follow Shizune out of the area, if that's what she's doing. "But sure, we can talk once we've secured the civvies and prepped the Logia for transport... Alicia? Should we call in the Wolfram, or are there any other TSAB Ships closer that can handle this class of Logia?"
Ysuran	The flash of light causes a screech from the Shadow, and it is destroyed by the not-quite blast. However, it seems that it's done its job well enough. As in the next few moments the situation resolves. Seeing this, Ysuran gives a sigh of relief. "That was... slightly lessviolent than I was expecting," he admits. As for the Logia? "Clearly it means ill." This to Artyom. "See what it has done here?" Ysuran moves to assist Artyom. "What it has done to you?" He has misunderstood exactly what happened, seeing only outwardly the tea's effects on the geomancer. "We should leave quickly, in case any aftereffects of such an enchantment should remain."
Artyom W. Valodjn	"It's-- It's a seed," he says, stammering a bit as Ysura helps him up, though the elf does get a tired glare. "Its purpose... Is to create and preserve life," he wipes his face clean, then looks toward Alicia and Zephyr, "I do not think it will be a threat to you, or to anyone. It... understands. It stopped because it knew that to fight would mean the destruction of more life than it would preserve."
Alicia T. Harlaown	Alicia leaves helping the townspeople back to the surface to those are seem to be good at it. Meanwhile she focuses on what she is good at, picking up the Lost Logia and looking it over, "Safe enough..." Turning her head to look at Artyom, she asks, "Oh, ah, me? Sure... I guess." But then to Zephyr she smiles, "I'll put a call into HQ. They can send the closest ship. I don't think we're dealing with a class one here... Probably more like a three or four. So we shouldn't need something like the Wolfram!" Turning to the elites that are here she says, "Thank you, everyone, for your help." She bows to them. Alicia then turns to listen to Artyom. She's not entirely sure she understands, but she gets the basics, "Hmmm... Well... It's nice, that that's what it does... But it kind of does it in the wrong way. It really is no less powerful or dangerous than many other Lost Logia we seal and protect."
Zephyr Windstar	Zephyr nods to Alicia, then looks to Artyom. "We'll put in a recommendation that this one's containment be on an uninhabited world. I'm sure there's some proto-Gaia class planets it can jumpstart and be safe on... but that's down to HQ."
Artyom W. Valodjn	"You don't get it," Artyom rumbles, shaking his head to clear it. "That device is responsible for... Everything on this world. This place was dying, and then that device arrived to repair and preserve the local ecosystem. But it... Had been abandoned. Its makers forgot about it, and its programming-- degraded. But it only did all this to protect itself."
Zephyr Windstar	"Standard Lost Logia progression. They were all standard, useful artefacts, but due to misuse, lack of use, abandonment, whatever... their programming changed, degraded or just plain broke and they turn into threats, whether intentionally so or not."
Alicia T. Harlaown	Alicia listens, and tries to understand... But her experience with Lost Logia simply leads her to the same conclusion as Zephyr. Alicia nods in agreement with the other TSAB Mage, saying, "Even the advanced technologies of the ancient civilizations that created the Lost Logia doesn't last forever." Alicia tilts her head a little and smiles at Artyom, "Must've been some tea..."
Artyom W. Valodjn	"It was... actually pretty average tea," Artyom replies with a slight sigh. He looks to where the cup had fallen on the grass, the tea within having spilled out onto the ground. "Strictly speaking, I've made better. But it did allow me to communicate with the device."