Invidia Underside Log

[cancrymods]

INVIDIA DUNGEON LOG

For the Executors who've travelled down to an Underside before, today's trip isn't out of the ordinary. But for those of you new to all this... well, buckle up because it's a bit of a ride. Though the cold green light makes it hard to see, if you squint through the glare, you'll spot a wide, steep staircase leading down from the fissure into the light below. As you descend, it feels for a frightening moment as though you might be walking blind but eventually the light gives way to the sight of the Invidia Underside waiting a great distance below you. By some trick of perspective or just wonky Purgatory logic, however, it seems to take hardly any time for you to descend the stairs and set foot in the Invidia Underside.

THE UNDERSIDE

♪♫ Lyx – Sakuzyo The only saving grace of the Invidia Underside is that its layout and structure is more or less the same as Invidia itself. Some of the paths have turned a little twisty and there are buildings here and there that have gone missing, but if you can navigate your way around Invidia then you can more or less find your way around the Underside. The atmosphere on the other hand is where things really start to feel different. Where Invidia is bustling with life, the Underside is just as quiet in contrast. Some sounds filter down from the city above but they sound not just distant but muffled, too. This, coupled with the eerie green light that illuminates the city from above gives the feeling of being trapped at the bottom of some sort of lake or seabed. But more notable than all that is the screens that usually blast Esme content into everyone's eyeballs. Down here in the Underside, all of the screens are either apparently dead or displaying looped clips from TV talk shows, vlogs, movies and the like starring a person none of you have ever seen before. They have a vague similarity to Esme, but they're clearly not the same person. There's a shine to them and a sense of authenticity that was missing from everyone's least favorite Envy Authority that just feels... correct. If Esme was some kind of counterfeit then this is undoubtedly the original. There are no clips of Esme – or any sort of media with her at all, in fact – anywhere to be found in the Invidia Underside. AREAS OF INTEREST ⚝ Park: The park seems to have fallen victim to the same odd spatial distortions at play in many other places in Purgatory. While from the outside it doesn't seem that much bigger than it was originally, once you actually enter the park you'll find that it stretches on far enough that you can't quite see all the way to the other end, not helped at all by the fact that the area seems to have become fogged over, thickly enough to make it hard to detect the presence of Revenants here. Usually, the glowing trees would be enough to guide you through, but thanks to the presence and occasional outbreaks of violence of the Revenants, the trees are looking, uh... a little busted. Many of them have been gouged or even completely uprooted from the ground with wires spilling messily out and all over the ground. And... the less said about whatever the hell that colourful liquid coming out of them is, the better. Just tell yourself it's the stuff you see inside glowsticks and move on. Of course, moving on might be a little hard, as when you reach the very center of the park, you might just stumble across exactly what had the Revenants here so worked up in the first place... ⚝ Mall: Those of you who were fans of the conbini in Limbo: congratulations! Those of you who were fans of the mall in Invidia being normal: my condolences. While the mall hasn't changed much physically down here in the Underside, the shopping experience certainly has. The items up for purchase have fallen prey to the same effects as the ones in Limbo and so everything is a little... off. Food comes in strange shapes and flavours, clothes don't look quite right and any books or written media you pick up to try and read will just be a jumble of text that only occasionally becomes discernable. The same unfamiliar person who was all over the screens outside can also be found here, looking for all the world like the average celeb. It won't be easy finding anything to read, though, because the mall is crammed full of Revenants who seem to be doing their level best to full on loot the place. Take great care in your investigations, because if they get the idea that you're trying to steal anything from the mall, they'll set on you quicker than you can blink. ⚝ Rooftop Stage: Given that the rooftop stage was the last place you all saw Esme, it's not a bad idea to check there again to see if that's where she's ended up. There's an eerie similarity between the rooftop here and the one back in Invidia, too – just like that one, the rooftop here is in disrepair, as though it's been subject to some sort of violent tantrum, with all the equipment smashed to bits and the stage itself almost completely demolished. At second glance though, it becomes a bit more obvious that this place has been systematically broken down to allow as many of its components as possible to be harvested to construct what looks to be a gigantic cage right on the stage. And what's inside the cage you ask? You'll have to see for yourself... ⚝ Mansion: Esme's mansion seems to be the only part of Invidia that has escaped the warping and confusion of the Underside. The gate at the front is locked again but the outer walls no longer grow in height to keep outsiders at bay, so if you want to get in then scaling the wall is your best bet. No problem for the Executors, of course! Once you're inside, you can look around and see that not only has the interior escaped the uncomfortable twisty-turny distortions of the Underside but it also looks... lived in. Like "the bed still isn't made from being vacated this morning" lived in. There's food in the fridge. Was she... living here...? ⚝ Broadcasting Station: See for yourself. HAZARDS ⚝ On The Spot: Though there seems to be no actual source for them, large spotlights sweep through the streets of Invidia. They're easy to see coming and not too large that you can't dodge out of the way if there's one coming at you, but take care – if you happen to be caught in the glare of one of these spotlights, then you'll be plastered all over the screens that are scattered about the city and find yourself beset by Revenants who all want a very literal taste of you. ⚝ Structural Damage: Many of the buildings around the city have fallen into disrepair due to the presence of the Revenants here. Some have taken extreme structural damage and are on the verge of collapse so be careful not to end up trapped in a collapsing building, or you might be stuck waiting for a fellow Executor to fish you out. ⚝ Revenant Types Present: Henricus, Rigaud

Comments

QUESTIONS & INVESTIGATION REQUESTS

[cancrymods]

If you have any OOC questions or IC requests for environmental investigations, please leave them here!

MANDATORY COMBAT ENCOUNTER: FICINO

[cancrymods]

With gnashing teeth and and insatiable appetite, this is a dangerous Revenant for any Executor to face, even with backup. It has an exceptionally violent personality and lashes out at anything that moves – its only saving grace is that it has no eyes and is completely blind, relying entirely on sound to track down its prey. It stalks through the thick fog like some sort of horrible sniffer dog, keeping a keen ear out for its prey. What do you mean it doesn't have ears? Don't even worry about it.

Ficino is a sleek, stealthy Revenant that's surprisingly weight and strong despite its size and speed and hits like a tank if it gets the opportunity to plough its body weight into you. Its skin is leathery and cold and oddly pliant, as though it's just a thin outer casing holding in... whatever the hell is inside this thing. It seems to be full of something gooey and liquidly but thankfully when attacked, all it bleeds is pneuma. Its skin is fairly resistant to blunt force attacks and slashes, but focused piercing attacks will do some good.

It favors sneak attacks, staying hidden in the fog until it detects an enemy with its advanced hearing before speeding towards them and attempting to crush them under its weight. Once pinned, it them begins biting and chewing, trying to tear off chunks with its humongous teeth. Gruesome! Despite its power, Ficino is a cowardly Revenant that prefers to stalk lone or injured prey and if it realizes its target is part of a group it will attempt to disappear back into the fog.

Win Conditions:

- At least 2 characters must show up to fight.
- At least 15 comments must be posted, over at least 2 threads.

[emberserker]

[Okay, being ambushed was not in Wolfsbane's plan, but she can work with this! ...she thinks. When slashing with her axe doesn't work, she jumps back and fires off an ice shard.]

Ugh, what is this thing?!

[curiositydies]

[ Fog suits him fine. He doesn't know why that is, but this new form seems to revel in it, the same way he revels in it (it feels right, better than his usual body, and isn't that something?)

Well, he's here to destroy things, so destroy things he will. As nice as the fog feels, it's auxiliary.

It's Wolfsbane's shouting that leads him to the target, which is helpful. He drifts towards her voice, his skeletal form still half-shrouded in fog. ]

Ah, there you are.

[ Ice bursts forth from his hands, a bolt that barely misses the Revenant. It spins for a moment, jaws snapping; conflicted between whether to continue attacking the target it can see, or flee from the group it now knows exists. ]

[discutio]

[If there was one thing Phoenix hated, it was poisoning perfectly edible food.]

[...Two things, and it was being seen as weak or a liability. But the latter was useful in this case, judging by the sounds he was picking up. Quadrupedal and moving in deliberately slow steps a distance behind him, definitely a Revenant. Very well, if it was going to treat him like a wounded anak calf then it could deal with the consequences.]

[The steps halted a distance behind him, and with a growl it charged. A straight line with no finesse or strategy past the element of surprise; a sudden ambush that might have worked on anyone else.]

[Phoenix, however, stood very calmly and measured the distance of each charging step. Fifteen feet, ten, five. When it was nearly within lunging distance he jumped back, landing easily behind it. Flaming sword in hand glowing in the fog, he lashed out at Ficino with a surprise attack of his own.]

[schardynfreude]

[It's the flash of light in the fog that makes him react more than anything. Reckless, perhaps, but on a whim that Chiron warps into the fray, running nearly into the beast with the move and drawing up short a few steps from it, scythe crystallizing into existence.]

Phoenix, is that you? Are you in a spot of trouble? [It does not appear that he is, granted, but it's his way of offering help.

look he doesn't know this thing is a sound hunter yet okay]

MANDATORY COMBAT ENCOUNTER: VOLUCRIS

[cancrymods]

The instant it – she? – sets her eyes on the Executors, Volucris begins shrieking and thrashing around in the cage, beating her enormous claws against the bars in a furious bid for freedom. Her cries are shrill and piercing but you don't get too long to sit around listening to them. By the looks of things, her cage has already been taking quite the beating and this barrage of blows and slashes was the final straw. The cage bursts apart and with a horrible bellow, Volucris charges at the Executors at frightening speed, brandishing her claws and more than ready to tear them to bits!

Volucris is an exceptionally tenacious Revenant. Though her movements are sluggish, she is relentless and will not let up attacking at any moment she is able to. Her body is heavy and solid, with the texture of wrought iron, and her claws are both exceptionally sharp and constantly excreting a horrible poison. While not quite as potent as the stuff Esme has been known to use, the effect is unfortunately similar – areas cut with her claws or even struck by them will bleed pneuma profusely and will be exceptionally painful until completely healed. Not that you'll get much of a chance, because Volucris will continue relentlessly attacking, until she's forced to stop... almost as though she doesn't want them to have any other choice.

The weak point is the head. Please, don't feel guilty. You weren't the ones who did this.

Win Conditions:

- At least 3 characters must show up to fight.
- At least 20 comments must be posted, over at least 2 threads.

[mementomoritz]

[Medic, being Medic, immediately zeroes in on one thing, and it isn't the fact that an angry Revenant is charging at her.]

[No, it's the claws. And the substance dripping from them.]

Maybe another pneumatotoxin? She had to get it from somewhere... [Well, there's only one thing to do. It's for science.]

[As Volucris charges, Medic darts forward and to the side, deliberately keeping her scissors closed and brushing those massive claws with the flat of the blade. She keeps going, darting right past the Revenant and continuing on well out of range. When she's far enough away to have a little bit of breathing room, she slows to a stop and carefully eyes the substance smeared on the outside of her weapon. She pricks a finger lightly on the clean tip of the scissors, and holds up her hand to let a single drop of pneuma fall onto the substance.]

[Whatever she sees apparently confirms her suspicions.]

Everyone, the stuff on her claws is toxic! Be careful! [Oh, you mean careful like DOING SCIENCE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIGHT, MEDIC?]

[heir_to_ruin]

[Ruin got cock blocked from getting into her dressing room initially. He figured there might be something fascinating down here. Except now there's a giant bird thing.

And a crazy blonde. What is it with blondes!?

He just about has a heart attack with Medic's little stunt and then barely manages to scramble out of the way long enough to summon up his ghostly steed, swinging up into the saddle. At least on the roof they have a set area to work within, Volucris has to stop eventually and redirect back towards him.]

No SHIT!! [Snapped back at Medic, though he doesn't dare turn to look at her. Volucris may be made of steel (or close enough) but the Lance is made of.... something impossibly harder that he really doesn't get. Hell, maybe it's alive in it's own right. He tries not to think about it.] What did you think it was?!? Syrup!?

[Right so. Jousting a giant metal bird monster. Nothing can go wrong here, nothing at all.]

[twibeast]

[ When Beast sees the Revenant in the cage he stops dead in his tracks, dumbstruck by it. He wasn't sure what to expect up here and is not at all prepared for a fight, but it's not just the sheer size and all the shrieking that has him caught off guard. There's something about this Revenant that's... bothering him.

Of course there's no time to think about it though. He just barely gets out of the way when it attacks, narrowly avoiding his wings getting nicked by the poison. He tumbles for a second, dropping his harp, but thankfully manages to get back up and grab it before it can attack again. ]

What in the hells is that doing here...?!

[discutio]

Define 'that'-!

[Phoenix ducked out of the way of swung claws himself, blade bursting into flame as he drew it.]

What are we dealing with?!

BOSS COMBAT ENCOUNTER . . . ? (Veil, Monarch, Lion)

[cancrymods]

[ Esme at first is nowhere to be found. There is no trace of her anywhere in the Underside... save for one place, tucked away from everyone else's eyes, the broadcasting station where she first made her mark on Invidia. A faded, tattered posted is stuck to the wall outside the building, depicting Esme as a smiling idol... but even this much of her façade is starting to vanish as the poster gets caught in a stray breeze and rips away from the wall, fluttering off and away into the dark.

When the Executors finally enter they'll find... well, first that the studio has undergone a change too. The only room left is some sort of screening room with an enormous screen on the wall, where clips from... something are playing. It's the same unfamiliar person you've been seeing all around the Underside, like a supercut of vlogs and movies and TV talk shows and all manner of things. It's in silent and black and white but all the same, you can see they've got a shine to them.

When the doors open, the only viewer in the room looks up and as soon as she sees the Executors, her expression crumples in disgust.

It's Esme. ]

I knew it. Humiliating me wasn't enough, huh? You had to follow me all the way down here and finish stomping me to death?

[crypddyd]

[This is certainly not the group he would have picked if he knew they would stumble on Esme. Veil of course can handle herself- this was not her first Underside. But he knew she had a soft heart. And Monarch, who he hasn't spoken to in any real way yet, was new... and very young.

Of course, he wouldn't have picked himself either, for obvious reasons:]

Very astute. That is what you do with rats in your stores- flush them out to their boltholes. Block their tunnels and crush their spines under boot when they run squealing for escape. This is no different.

[daughterofthemark]

[...

Veil raises her hand awkwardly.]

Unless you would prefer to surrender? Surely even at this stage a peaceful resolution is still possible.

[emberserker]

[When she's not fighting a miniboss, Wolfsbane is transformed with halberd in hand, exploring the mall. Or trying, because apparently today is Boxing Day for Revenants, and as she's looking over a magazine with Miss Not-Esme on the cover, one snatches it and runs off with it. She scowls and shoots a fireball at them, which just makes more run at her.]

Ugh, excuse me! I was investigating, you nuisances!

[Looks like that's on hold until she can clear these guys out.]

[seasharp]

[Well, at least one of them will suddenly end up with a sword skewered through it. Followed quickly by Ariel jumping over to pull it out pretty smoothly.]

Need a hand?

[emberserker]

There you are. Honestly, all these Executors and who knows where they've all ended up.

[That's a yes, probably. She slices another in two with a swing of Invierno, causing pneuma to rain all over the rest.]

These things are still disgusting.

The doctor is IN

[mementomoritz]

[After fighting with Volucris, Medic has set up a makeshift hospital tent- by which we mean two plastic tables she dragged over from the park that you can dump your injured friends on for some cheerful and only mildly unsettling medical attention.]

[She's chosen to set up just outside Esme's mansion, right in front of the gate, since it's one of the most easily-recognized landmarks in this place.]

[She texts the Executor groupchat a picture to show them where she is, helpfully captioned with:]

come visit me if you're bleeding!! :D

[emberserker]

[As reluctant as she may be, Wolfsbane is still pretty banged up and has a big gash on her arm. And possibly smoke inhalation from setting the park on fire. So she ends up dragging herself to Medic's medic tent, muttering to herself.]

At least that thing's dead again. I suppose Esme's dealt with by now as well, have you heard?

[mementomoritz]

Nope! [Medic works as she talks, reaching out and gently taking Wolfsbane's hand- the one attached to the uninjured arm, to avoid jostling it- in one of her own, letting her power flow out and repair the damage.] Not everyone's reported back in yet, though, so we could be hearing some news soon.

There was this one Revenant in a big cage, though- I wonder if Esme did that?

[twibeast]

[ Welp. Beast is bleeding. And still in a lot of pain thanks to the poison. So he's here once Mona and Phoenix can get him to safety.

He's kinda just... zoning out for now. Likely because of the pain, though maybe his head is just elsewhere. He's no longer in his Executor transformation, but you can't really blame him for not keeping the magical battle transformation up, can ya? ]

[crypddyd]

[Here comes Lion, likely with Veil and Monarch too since he probably wouldn't have allowed them to wander off- but he's lost enough pneuma that he might have kinda blacked out a little so who can say?

He has a huge hole in his armor, which he hasn't de-summoned and he's using his lance as a crutch. Also a huge burned gash in his face???]

Ah... Medic?

[schardynfreude]

[With a huff, and a puff, Chiron also arrives, still decked out in white. He wrinkles his nose a bit at the tables but, listen, he trusts that they're as disinfected as they're gonna be, and while linens and pillows are nice, the stabilized wounded can be moved inside where it's more comfortable.]

I'm here. I can lend a hand. Shall I at least fetch something a little more comfortable? [He's gonna fetch something a little more comfortable anyway. They can wash the pillows from the couch later.]

[Chiron is available for healing if Mercy's busy or someone is a little hesitant to see her specifically.]

[ourtomorrow]

[ Monarch does indeed tag along with Lion, hanging back so the others can get treated first. He has a lot on his mind, and it's disassociating him somewhat from his own injuries.

He's got a few of those gashes like Lion does, with the brunt of the damage being to a shoulder, as well as a spattering of acid-like burns and bruises from being tossed around. Unlike Lion, he's already dismissed his Executor uniform, so instead of having a ripped-up jacket he's leaking sparkles all over his clothes. (Which is the most exciting said clothes will ever look, tbh.)

Even when Medic approaches him, he'll avoid eye contact. Despite his exciting array of wounds, the worst of his damage was psychic. ]

DUNGEON WRAPUP

[cancrymods]

Without Beezelbub's last scraps of power keeping a stranglehold on the Underside of Invidia, the Executors will find with some cautious exploration that things are... slightly less terrible, at least on the Revenant side of things. Things are a little calmer, which gives them some time to recuperate before progressing onto the next Layer.

The staircase leading down can once again be found on the rooftop stage once again. This time, there's no drama, just a staircase leading down into a familiar sort of darkness that gradually gives way to the garish glare of bright neon lights...

Congratulations, Executors! You have cleared your second dungeon and with it, unlocked the Greed Layer of Purgatory. An arrival log will be posted on January 14th so be sure to look out for it!

Additionally, all characters who have tagged into the dungeon log as of this comment's timestamp will be rewarded with one Idea! You may use this for either a Memoria regain or a new power.