Gula Underside Log

[cancrymods]

GULA DUNGEON LOG

As you make the now familiar descent, the screeches and chatterings of the Underside's inhabitants swim up to meet you alongside a suffocating wall of heat. The Gula Underside unfolds itself before you in jewel colours and sweltering heat. In stark contrast to the Rusted City stripped bare and the sterile Undercity, the Gluttony Underside is bursting with life - and danger. This densely packed rainforest spills out in all directions like a natural maze and you're going to have to pull out all the stops to find Gerda before something else does - or before it finds you.

THE UNDERSIDE

♪♫ Floating -Liquidly- – Sakuzyo The jungle is thickly clustered with huge palm trees rising to form an almost impassable canopy that only opens out occasionally when branches shift or when the wind blows, revealing the dim green light of the Underside's sickly looking sky. As you look up, you occasionally see the shadows of Revenants (or at least you HOPE they're Revenants) darting around high above your head. The ground is blanketed in luscious undergrowth that feels soft underfoot - loamy moss, tangled patches of grass, leaves. Occasionally, the uneven ground gives way to puddles of water or patches of loose, sloppy mud that you're forced to wade your way through if you want to proceed. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the jungle is so dense that you're never not within reaching distance of a sturdy tree or rock you can use to steady yourself. Somewhere in this place is Gerda and your way further down into Purgatory. Let's hope you can make your way through unscathed. AREAS OF INTEREST Due to the sheer scale of this Underside, explorations will proceed slightly differently. The Executors will be split into three teams – two to explore the Underside itself and the third being the team assigned to this layer's Boss Combat. Please see below for your role assignments. ⚝ NORTHBOUND: The Executors exploring the north are Medic, Etoile, Lion, Chiron and Veil. ⚝ SOUTHBOUND: The Executors exploring the south are Rei, Genius, Mona, Achilles, Ariel and Phoenix. ⚝ THE WATERING HOLE: Boss Combat volunteers, report! HAZARDS ⚝ Dense Wood: The overgrowth of the jungle and the tightly packed trees mean there are very few wide open spaces as you make your way through. For those of you who rely on your eyeballs, this means visibility is hampered - and that Revenants could ambush you if you're not on high alert! Uneven Footing: Given how wild the terrain here is, you might find that it's a bit hard to get stable footing when you're running to and fro here. Some of this is varied elevation but a lot of it is varied textures too. Stumble too close to anywhere with running water and you'll be slipping and sliding all up and down the Underside! ⚝ Revenant Types Present: Charles, Minturno

Comments

[ourtomorrow]

[ Prehnite isn't able to do much more than right himself in midair, presently - his wings have to beat double time now that they're wet. His mouth is open to warn his fellow Executors "It's larger than it appears - "

But as he reorients himself and spins to face the enemy, he doesn't need to mention that, does he. ]

BOSS COMBAT ENCOUNTER: ANGUIS

[cancrymods]

ANGUIS

Once the Authority of Gula who enjoyed all sorts of savory and unsavory dishes, the tides of time and also, Gerda's teeth??? have turned the former Gluttony Authority into Anguis, the Aberrant of Greed. She takes the form of a gigantic water serpent with thick scales and a cruel set of fangs that she threatens to bear down on the three Executors with. Her size makes her appear slow and lumbering but don't underestimate her or you'll be her next meal.

Not yet fully emerged from the lake, Anguis lashes out with her tail once again, reaching for Prehnite. He's ensnared in her coils and will sacrifice his Movement until he or his allies free him.

Her Movement is three. Her Durability is unknown. Her abilities are unknown.

The turn order is Anguis, Sword, Prehnite, Wolfsbane.

[swordofajerk]

[Oh, well, fuck this.

Sword moves back, looking to Wolfsbane and then to where she laid that explosion trap. They should try to get this thing out of the water and on the trap, but without hurting Prehnite.

Sword thrusts his sword in the direction of the limb holding Prehnite (but not Prehnite himself) and sends a bolt of lighting at it, hoping to get it to release.]

[ourtomorrow]

[ Prehnite's snared! He twists his arm to try to stab the coil with his spear, if he can manage it! ]

[emberserker]

[Wolfsbane twirls her halberd and points the end forward, firing off an ice shard at the tail as well.]

The Authority, I'll bet.

REMAINING DURABILITY | PREHNITE: 3 | WOLFSBANE: 4 | SWORD: 3

[cancrymods]

With Sword and Wolfsbanes' combined efforts, Anguis lets out a shriek of anger but is forced to release Prehnite, taking a blow of damage in the scuffle. Unfortunately, the combo of being in the line of fire and wrapped up with the enemy means Prehnite has taken some damage and loses one point of Movement on his turn.

Her intended prey freed, Anguis turns her attention to the other Executors and swings her massive tail at Wolfsbane and Sword. Both of them get their feet swept out from under them and take a blow of damage and Wolfsbane is completely knocked off balance and must use a point of Movement next turn to gather herself before attacking.

[swordofajerk]

Obviously it's the Authority, you idiot--

[Swords further griping at Wolfsbane is cut off by Anguis knocking him on his ass and the subsequent scramble to get up.]

We need to get it out of the water. We have that you-know-what set up for a reason!

[emberserker]

I'm the idiot?

[Wolfsbane drags herself to her feet, without time to attack. She's firmly behind the trap, at least.]

What do you think I've been doing?

[ourtomorrow]

[ Prehnite can't really try and break up this fight, being busy getting dropped by the Authority. He'll do his best to stay in the air, though, hoping to be able to counterattack and drive Anguis towards the, well, you-know-what. ]

[cancrymods]

Interestingly, Anguis seems less than inclined to get out of the water – whether it's because she can't or because she's biding her time is unclear.

Not that you have much time to think it over, unfortunately. Her tail lashes out again, this time aiming to ensnare both Sword and Wolfsbane! Sword manages to avoid the attack, but stumbles and loses a point of Movement for next turn. Wolfsbane however is ensnared! She must use her Movement next turn to try and get free.

[swordofajerk]

This stupid--

[This is bullshit. This is so much bullshit. Sword dodges the tail, aiming another bolt of lighting at this stupid fucking boss monster. Fuck this.]

[emberserker]

[Halberd falling to the ground, Wolfsbane struggles in the tail's grip. She thrashes and tries to cast a fireball, even as unadvisable as that is while she's trapped.]

Get off me!

[ourtomorrow]

[ Being hit earlier had caused this monster to drop him. Now Prehnite wonders if he can't make the same thing happen for Wolfsbane.

Swooping down out of the air, he braces his spear with both arms, the better to try and impale it into the enemy. If he can knock it closer to the trap - and, more importantly, if he can at least distract it from - ]

Wolfsbane-san!

REMAINING DURABILITY | WOLFSBANE: 3.5 | decapitation cw

[cancrymods]

The bolt of lightning strikes true and with Anguis still in the water, it really hits home! The electricity courses through her for two blow's worth of damage and she lets out an enraged shriek. Thankfully, the electricity doesn't conduct into Wolfsbane, but Anguis' coils constrict around her and Wolfsbane takes half a blow's worth of damage before finally freeing herself.

Before things can get too hairy though, in comes Prehnite! With Anguis thoroughly distracted, she has no chance to dodge when he comes in with his spear. It cuts through her scales surprisingly easily – all the way through in fact and though it's just a spear, Anguis' head comes clean away from her body. The two halves topple over into the water with a tremendous crash, sending a mini tidal wave of water across the surface of the lake.

Everything goes very quiet.

[swordofajerk]

[Too quiet. Sword backs away from the water, glancing over to the other two.]

Get ready. There's no way that was it.

[emberserker]

[Wolfsbane claws herself back to her feet, steam rising off of her body with the swamp water, and raises her halberd.]

You don't get to run away!

[And she brings it down, shooting three fireballs down to the water.]

[ourtomorrow]

Prehite zips back up again, spear at the ready. He's looking down on the lake and will try to yell a warning if he sees movement. Even a fraction of a second's advance notice might help.

REMAINING DURABILITY | PREHNITE: 2

[cancrymods]

The fireballs plunge into the water, hot enough that instead of being immediately extinguished, a huge amount of water evaporates into a thick cloud of steam that temporarily obscures their vision. It's impossible to see what, if anything, might be going on in the water–

But then, in a blur of motion, two heads each come shooting out of the mist, mouths wide and teeth bared. One of them manages to close its jaws around Prehnite, biting down hard and the other just barely misses grabbing Wolfsbane.

As the steam dissipates, you can see that what was once a one-headed serpent has not only regrown its original head but sprouted a second one to make up for the trouble!

[swordofajerk]

Oh, fu--

[The more annoyed Sword gets, the worse his mouth gets, clearly. He is swearing rather profusely as he sends another bolt at the creature to try and get it to let Prehnite go.]

How do we stop it from growing more heads?!

[emberserker]

[When the creature nearly bites her, Wolfsbane jumps to the side, in between the heads, and lifts her weapon again. She brings it down to point a pillar of fire down between the necks, where she suspects the body should be.]

If losing a head grows two more, then just don't destroy the heads!

[ourtomorrow]

[ There's a story about this, Prehnite thinks woozily, through the pain. This is illuminating, as it indicates both a possible way to manage this dilemma and that in life, he was an impractical trivia repository.

Twisting in the monster's grip, he manages to groan - ]

Cauter---

[ But can't finish. This HURTS. Let - go - ]

REMAINING DURABILITY | SWORD: 2 | WOLFSBANE: 2.5

[cancrymods]

Sword and Wolfsbanes' attacks both slam into Aguis with enough force that she's forced to release Prehnite, leaving him free to fly out of her range, at least for now. Unfortunately, this means her rage has been redirected towards the two who just struck her and Anguis has more than one new trick up her sleeve.

One of her heads makes a horrible gurgling noise and both of them rear back. Before you even know how to respond, twin jets of water, flowing at a crushingly high pressure, rush out of her mouths and target Sword and Wolfsbane. The impact hurts enough on its own but once the water sloshes over you, you'll realize it's worse than you realized – she's firing boiling water at you!

Thankfully, the Executors' natural resilience prevents them from being burned too badly, but that doesn't keep it from hurting.

[swordofajerk]

Shit!

[Sword tries to get out of the way of the water, soaked and a little burned and pissed.]

We need back up! Can either of you get to your phones and call for help?

[etincelledefierte]

[Etoile's just going to run in, doing her best to dodge the water.]

No need, Veil and I are here. Let's see if we can't even the odds a bit.

[She's just going to get into fighting position.]

[ourtomorrow]

[ Etoile-san....Veil-san....

Prehnite, exhausted, dips down to rejoin his companions for the moment. He has to lean on his spear. Okay. He can. He can breathe.

He can keep fighting! ]

There's - a myth. If a head comes off - cauterize the stump. It might not grow back.....