Scene #7344: A New Beginning

Owner	Pose
Gawain	AFTERNOON THE COAST OF CADMUS The warpgate for this region is a water-based warpgate. The seven islands that make up the archipelago do not have natural warpgates, and the settlers of Cadmus are not fortified enough yet to have set up an artificial. Sailing in a Paladins-issue mini-yacht, Gawain has taken the wheel, offering refreshments to the group on the deck or below in the hatch if they don't want to be out in the sun. Due to the size of the group, a basic speedboat wasn't in the cards. "Okay! The settlers of Cadmus have set up with some prefabs. I've already talked to the governor - we can go meet them if we'd like, but they're perfectly fine with us setting off for the scouting and navigation immediately if we deem it necessary. They've given me a list of some problems and questions they have, if we'd like to solve those as well." "I made a preliminary map of the archipelago. There's seven islands, the center being right there." Gawain points across the sea. The waters can be tumultous and rocky, except where they are docking in Cadmus. Clearly visible are two volcanoes: an 'average' but certainly not unimpressive volcano on Cadmus's island, and an absolutely colossal one out in the center of the archipelago, the type that someone could call a supervolcano before it even erupted. "That's Father Titan. We're heading towards what we're simply calling Cadmus, for it apparently has no name of its own, and has never been settled. An old hermit, currently docked on the far side of the island, has been supplying us information in trade for foreign goods." Turning the boat towards the island they're docking at, where they can see the smoke of cooking fires and the square prefab buildings made of hardy-enough mamterials, Gawain moves to start touching down. "We can split up, if you'd like, but there's only one boat for us, so we can only go to one other island in a trip, unless any of you have your own transit methods. Feel free to ask me! I'm just touching down for now so we can have some sand on our feet and some direction."
Gawain	The island of Cadmus is tropical, with jungle, plenty of colorful birds (who are making a lot of noise), and the occasional monkey in the trees. There's wildlife to be hunted, soil for farmland, and a very small colony away from the volcano, where all the best attributes of the decent-sized island are located. This is where the group, if they choose not to leave the island immediately, will first set off to. The people are currently cooking, setting up construction and more prefabs, and just trying to make sure this little colony gets off the ground. A governor, one Alisa Hemingway, has set up her office prefab near the center of the town, and is currently working inside, organizing the dozens of colonists' duties. Meeting with her is unnecessary to find out what they can do, but might be useful if the group wants to get a measure of the woman. Otherwise, there's not much to do here directly, yet. The neighboring POINTS OF INTEREST are Hermit's Boat, belonging to the old hermit who is trading information; the Caverns, which go deep underneath the island; and Little Titan, the local volcano they're hoping to set up geothermal power with.
Gawain	MAP: https://imgur.com/a/XF5wLdk OBJECTIVES (in no order): Investigate the strange noises coming from The Caverns Meet at the Hermit's Boat and gain information on the archipelago Investigate the Junkyard on the next island, which has been 'sucking in' any scouting vessel or drone used to investigate it and shutting them offline Find out why Death Jungle is probably a death jungle *Free space
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa had heard the nature of the land she was going to so she'd dressed for it. Kotone was in a stealth suit when she arrived though when she has a bag with some personal effects likely for whatever downtime she gets while here. She seems in good spirit about the environment of Cadmus, she muses at the name it was Greek, wasn't it? Either way, she was enjoying being on the yacht. It's good fun she looks to Gawain for a moment as he talks to them. "Sounds like an idea, I'll meet and greet a bit later given we have some things to look into right first. I could check out the cave and leave the boat freed up for the rest of the team to use if any of you want to go explore the other islands."
Archer EMIYA	People are fake and lame. To Archer, at least. In the sense that dealing with them in any way that doesn't involve being an asshole or physical violence is more effort than he's generally willing to put in. So he's not dealing with them! Instead, he'll hit up the caverns, as unless there's some sort of weird cave hermit, the only kind of talking he'll be doing is with his proverbial fists. The so-called fists are actually a loaded bow. As once he's at the cave's entrance, he's already firing an arrow into it. "Let's just speed this up a bit, shall we? Best case scenario, some mythological murder creature comes barreling out at us at full speed. Worse case scenario, nothing."
Tamamo	Tamamo has not arrived to the jungle in her full robes, but instead in some approximation of a movie-version safari outfit, in a darker tan, and without the usual, round hat, likely on account of her ears. It would probably have been better to get looser-fit clothing than she did take, but the whole purpose is thrown into question when she offers, for any others who might lack such environmental protection, a few small charms, in the form of tiny drawstring pouches, that ward off insects, excessive humidity, and heat. They don't ward from brambles, for which tall, leather boots will need instead suffice, for her part. "Though I would offer such blessings as might be requested, it seems they have most matters well in hand. Perhaps we should instead see to the more adventurous... ah, exploratory, mysterious aspects of this settlement's safekeeping." Tamamo puts a finger to her chin, and tilts in thought. "Perhaps, I should see to that Little Titan. I do know something of geomancy, and it would be well to be certain of its fortunes." She sidles up to Lilian in small steps at the mention of 'other modes of transport.' "I shall trust upon your flight and grip once more, that we not need trouble others. And then, if the volcano proves yet dull, we may find another. There is, of course, another volcano, but any 'other' shall suffice. They are all new sights, yes?" After a pause, "And yet, a tropical getaway with somewhat more beach and much less jungle... I cannot quite think of this as a satisfying substitute." She can sort through her various detection magics along the way. It's more Chinese than Greek geomancy, though both operate as means of divination, reading fortunes and the future.
Lilian Rook	Lilian remains admirably stoic about Tamamo. "Now when did we go from so reluctant about that to this? Have I convinced you of the experience of it? Or does Gawain's driving not agree with you?" She has not quite chosen to dress so stereotypically. When Tamamo does it, it's touristy. If Lilian were to put on bush boots and a safari hat, it'd have certain undertones. It is, however, the first time in a while she's stripped down to a sleeveless top without any buttons or ties, and actual pants, plus completely heel-less boots. Only some olive drab and a backpack away from looking Indiana Jones, or maybe Ridley Scott, but absolutely fuck getting clothes caught and ripped on shitty jungle. "Boating around certainly seems like the more thematically adventurous choice." she says. "But I won't complain." "Really though. Geothermal power? Isn't that a bit ambitious for a colony set up on a whim? Would some solar panels really kill them? Or at least a biofuel generator." Lilian almost-moans in Gawain's general direction. "How much power do you expect these people will be using in the end? Aren't they just here to live it up on the beach? I mean, you chose an archipelago with a place called 'Death Jungle'." Though she is giving him a lot of guff (while lifting a few things from the icebox to go on her carry belt), she has literally never managed to successfully say no to Tamamo's whims in particular, so her course is already very set. Once she's all sorted, she 'hup's Tamamo up into her arms for the obligatory bridal carry, and takes off over the water towards Little Titan; not, however, before saying to Archer "Good. The longer you go without talking, the longer these people might continue to believe this is a good idea."
Gawain	Archer and Kotone head for THE CAVERNS. The entrance is a thick cave mouth, with a single torch up near it, leading into a dark tunnel. Archer just fires arrows straight into it. Nothing comes out, but, he can pick up noises deeper inside. They sound like clawing. Way deeper inside, in fact... Because these caves are long, winding, and mazelike. They must spread under the entire island, but this is the only entrance they currently have. Perhaps more could be made, creating a travel network? Exploration isn't for nothing, though. A thick rhinoceros-shaped creature with molten-black scales and two nose horns is eventually seen with a cub. It's not the source of the clawing, based on the fact that it's not clawing, but it shows there's a strange ecosystem down here. They'll have to find a way past it if they're going to find that clawing, and then find a way to navigate the tunnels without getting lost.
Gawain	Meanwhile, Tamamo and Lilian head for LITTLE TITAN. A modestly sized volcano, it also has wildlife, though it's not going to cause a problem. More of the black-scaled rhino-like creatures, some lizards sitting on rocks of magma, and an odd realization, as they reach the site for the fortune-telling. There's no convection effect. Normally, when you touch a rock next to lava or something similar, the heat should be transferring, and probably cooking you alive. But, nope. If they wanted to step on some of the large rocks inside the volcano itself, where the lava's building up, they could with just strong discomfort and probably minor damage to their shoes. No sudden death to being near lava, no volcanic death gases, nothing. Very odd.
Tamamo	It is, indeed, quite strange. Tamamo says as much. "How peculiar." It does make things a bit easier, since she'd already prepared herself from tropical rainforest weather, and fake volcano heat is only somewhat worse. Not that it's actually fake. "Well, all the same, I should like to have a reading of the place, and should not like to step upon the lava." She'd been cautious of getting too close to the heat, once hopped down from Lilian's arms, but as the expected heat proved farther and farther away, now she's already leaning over what should be an impassable death zone, shielding her eyes to stare out over the distance, taking in local fauna. "I have not the alchemical skill to swiftly examine the molten stones themselves, if they have not some magical cause for their surprisingly low threshold of boiling." Eventually satisfied with her examination, mentally mapping out a series of connecting lines and curves for arcane purposes, Tamamo tosses out a handful of talismans. They fly out on their own, tracing out the spokes and corners of the mental figure, and she brushes off a mostly-flat area of rock to sit and begin. This part isn't terribly exciting, from the outside. She's simply reading Fate and fortune, tracing the threads that form the area's future, and letting the auspiciousness of the shapes and directions of the land inform her of future dangers or present ailments.
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa sees she's going off with Archer this should be fine, he's pretty experienced. Likely more so than she is. She's confined at least as she reaches the cave mouth she'll pause as Archer fires an arrow right in she'll get her rifle at the ready. She pauses for a moment. "I don't like the sound of that...." She goes in deeper, she finds the place is a maze-like wait, is it a travel network. "Looks like you could get around pretty nicely with this." She notes to her Heroic Spirit companion at the local wildlife which doesn't seem hostile. "I can go invisible to get past it, are you able to do anything like that?" I could try to spook them with a flashbang if it comes down to it. It's a mother and child it looks like." Notes and she'll run with her flashbang plan to try and startle the creatures, people use things called bear bangers to spook bares where she grew up. This should be the same? If that is not to be she'll follower Archers' lead to engage in combat.
Archer EMIYA	"Alright. I'll play distraction in the meantime. Just don't get lost." Kotone disappears, and Archer draws his bow once more. Though rather than aim for the mother rhino-thing and her cub, he just aims at their feet, firing a few warning shots to draw their attention to him specifically. All things considered, probably not required, but the thing with stealth is that more distractions are always welcomed for the person sneaking around.
Lilian Rook	Lilian had, in good sense, set down a ways away from the site that should contain molten lava. She's never personally been near a volcano, so she doesn't have a good estimate of where that should be, so she's erred on the side of caution and left a little bit of a walk from the wooded areas. She arrives a little bit sweaty, adjusting her top, but after edging closer and closer and not so much as catching whiff of the infamous smell of volcanic gasses, a vague, lasting smile turns into a slow frown. "Well, if they're hoping to tap into it for power --ridiculous as that is-- they'll be disappointed even if they get it right." Lilian waves her hand over the center of the pit, at height, where shimmering currents should be blistering her skin. Nothing. "Bizarre. Certainly unnatural, but not in a way that seems especially ominous. I don't see or feel anything that should be soaking up the heat, and if something were, the lava should already be cooling and hardening, and likely have formed a hard cap to block the rest. This level of heat should be an aftereffect." She is familiar enough with Tamamo's kind of magic by now to know what she's up to without asking. Given the situation here, she anticipates Tamamo's readings will be more useful than her own. Instead, she opens one of her pouches and withdraws a few sticks of mineral chalk, setting about scrawling the complex futhark she wants along the side of the rocks, creating a single array and then drawing lines to each successive rune extending from it, like a constellation, each one drawing up the earth beneath it and creating a gradually sloping path of stones deeper into the caldea. Each one blackens as it rises, transmuted into a harder and much better insulated mineral, leaving them only 'warm' to the touch. Reaching the pit itself, she creates the other end of the array, steadily drawing out a circle that should widen a hole in the earth, widely parting the convectiont that does exist around the platform, and creating a 'well' deeper down to examine.
Gawain	Tamamo finds, as she weaves her talimans and begins her fortune-telling, that the volcano has a spirit, and it is very much alive. It is also scared. It is connected, in some arcane way, to Father Titan, likely 'their child' based on the name. Men with 'birds of metal', likely vehicles of some strange shape, came to the islands some time ago, before the Paladins even began looking into the area, and sent out machines. While they have mostly ignored Little Titan and the island of Cadmus, Father Titan went dormant soon after their arrival, and hasn't responded to connection from Little Titan. This is Very Bad to Little Titan, and is affecting it negatively. The wildlife of the island has gone more and more aggressive, hiding in the caverns, as a result. A clear future danger, one that May Be Avoided, is noted: if things continue as they are, with the men of metal birds, Father Titan may erupt, and everything and everyone in this archipelago will be destroyed. But the future can still be changed. Indeed - it doesn't appear that Little Titan minds the settlers at all. Indeed, as Lilian creates her 'well' and parts the convection, the glimpse of a figure appears deep inside, poking its slightly larger than human-sized head out of the lava before moving to resubmerge. It's a completely average volcano, besides the fact it has a spirit. Based on Tamamo's readings, and what Lilian could likely deduce, it'd have to be the spirit of the volcano's influence that is rendering it harmless - a blessing on the people, instead of it not having enough heat. But why would a volcano spirit be friendly?
Gawain	Kotone and Archer formulate a plan. Archer begins firing arrows, which causes the mother to get aggressive and charge Archer, while Kotone moves to slip past. As she does, and throws the flashbangs, they provide enough of a distraction to allow Archer to escape after her, forcing the mother and her baby to flee. Deep inside, they find the source of the clawing noise in a vast cavern, full of rocks and...metal? There is a large silver lizard with three black scales under its chin, larger than either of the approaching heroes, clawing at what appears to be remnants of some sort of robot or drone. Not Paladins make. It's aggressive, and likely to be hostile should it spot them, but the tough scales on it might make it a problem to take down without blowing up the entire cave-system unless they're extremely careful. Now that they know what the threat is, they could leave and report it, or they could take the risk and try and deal with it.
Lilian Rook	Lilian has Feelings and Opinions about 'spirits' of various kinds. They are unto themselves a complicated library that requires careful navigation to reach the right tome applicable to the subject at hand. Given that this is a totally unknown situation, where she is more or less here to represent Gawain (well, that isn't her reason, but it's theoretically her current function), she sits by her metamorphic well and waits for Tamamo to conclude her readings, trusting the divine kitsune's read on these matters as an animist herself. After getting as much of an info hand out as she can, Lilian errs on the side of assuming the 'little' spirit harmless, and certainly too meek to present an issue with a balance of power on the side of humans. "Metal birds feels like the obvious reference to planes, so it seems reasonably likely that the issue is someone from around here, overseas, or else someone working within that framework. It does beg the question of how they were able to shut down an entire volcano, though." She raises a hand to her eyes and stares off to the silhouette of Big Titan on the horizon. "Especially one that massive." "Tamamo. Can you communicate with this one? Arrange some sort of deal for figuring out what's happening with the larger volcano? We're going there anyways; it's free to wring a bargain from the guardian of a place we intend to let people settle. You're reliable when it comes to contracts and agreements."
Tamamo	"Machines of some sort, there is no doubt," Tamamo agrees with Lilian, still sitting. Being in no particular rush, she's taking her time with the divination, ensuring she's not missing anything in her reading. "Oh, yes. I expect they will be agreeable to this." At Lilian's mention of a contract, Tamamo again focuses. She doesn't have any particular link to volcanoes, herself, despite the fringe-overlap in realms of fire. Still, she knows everything of how a miko operates, communing with those spirits of less verbal disposition, and she has some distinct advantages over most mortals, in that regard. It's not too difficult for her to send down a 'feeling' toward the spirit of Little Titan, then craft those 'feelings' into something approximating words, making references to the same concepts indicated in her visions of this place's Fate. The full shape of the message is an open-ended contract. It is the Paladin's responsibility to investigate the metal birds and the dormancy of Father Titan. If these are connected, they will act to prevent further harm to both Father Titan and Little Titan. It is Little Titan's responsibility to cooperate with and to avoid harm to the colonists. If any demand proves too onerous, this agreement may be broken with a full season's notice. Tamamo's own magic serves as a source of the binding and its enforcement.
Gawain	As Tamamo sends down her contract, Little Titan ruminates for several moments. Lava boils and bubbles, but there's no eruption. No, instead, the contract is accepted, relatively quickly for such a spirit. In fact, it seems that Little Titan - and Father Titan - have accepted such contracts before. Perhaps this is the reason Little Titan is friendlier to humans than a volcano spirit is expected to be.
Kotone Yamakawa	It takes a bit but the plan works out, the underground creature is spooked off by her combined effort with Archer. Good, they can move onwards as she does so she will end up cloaking as she does so fading from view as she carefully moves onwards as they get to the source of the sounds. Kotone looks it over, she'll try to get a look at the remains of the machinery. To see if she can identify where it might be from. Given this is in the region it could be Union Hardware. She knows Archer is a Heroic Spirit and is above her in terms of what he can do she eyes the aggressive creature thinking about how best to approach it. <<I'm going to try to gather information regardless of what we do. We might need to bring down the house and there could be more of these things. I'll try to get what I can before I pull out.>> Maybe someone will have information on these creatures.
Archer EMIYA	"Given the looks of this thing, I feel Gojira here is more of a solitary creature. Still, you're a big girl, feel free to do what you want." Archer pulls a notebook and pen from his khaki vest, jotting a few things down. Mostly their findings and the turns they've taken to get where they are. Given they're deep in a cave, it's probably a good idea to do so. Especially if they end up dying and their bodies are found later. "Do what you want within reason anyway. Just remember, we'll gain more from keeping the roof on this cave intact than we do playing monster slayer." With that said, he begins turning back. Giant lizard combat can wait for some other time.
Gawain	The contract is sealed, and the Paladins are able to escape the cave with notes and without disturbing the murderous lizard. A picture of a logo of a red snake on the side of the wrecked metal is traced back to a supervillain terrorist organization known as 'Cobra'. This will be a headache, for sure, especially if they've taken control of Father Titan. An expedition to the massive volcano is required.