FINAL INVESTIGATION

[umbralant]

FINAL INVESTIGATION

Time continues to pass. And before long, it's the end of the week once again. Maybe it feels strange to call it that when there's such little sense of time besides the changing phases of the moon, and maybe the exact day doesn't even matter to you anymore. But regardless of the day, regardless of the month, regardless of the year, one thing is certain:

The time for preparations is over.

Because as the moon in the sky shines blood red, it becomes clear that all of the fog and the tremors were nothing but omens for what was to come.

And so, on Friday morning, Survivors will find themselves waking up to the sensation of energy practically buzzing through the air, prickling and tingling on skin like static electricity. Those who venture outside will also find that the fog that's creeped up in the recent days has been dispelled entirely, which includes the impassable kind that once hid a number of the buildings. Despite this, the tremors themselves do not lessen, and in fact, the earth itself seems to be vibrating with this energy as well.

The feeling will only get worse as the day progresses, and those who have been marked by the manifestations may feel more restless than normal.

The clock is ticking and there are some new areas to explore. No one's coming to save you, so there's nothing to do but to save yourselves, right?

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6 PM TEAM ~WAWEL CASTLE~

[umbralant]

[This investigation is open to the 6 PM team! Welcome to the castle, Mikami, Cumore and Iago.]

[umbralant]

[It's the castle you all know and love! And the one that was broken into during Week 4. Either way, there's no silhouettes to be seen through the windows today, and there really hasn't been any real signs of occupation since the start of the week. The usual barriers remain the same as always, with the towering walls as intimidating as ever, but the movement of the fog means a distinct dragon statue is uncovered, along with a rather conspicuous entrance to a cave.

Successfully venturing through the passage's twists and turns will lead everyone straight into Wawel Hill; more specifically, they'll come out in Wawel Cathedral, located next to the actual castle. There's nothing to note in the cathedral or in any of the other buildings and fortifications around, so their destination is pretty clear.]

[drydrown]

[...God, and here we were hoping we wouldn't have to go underground at any point. But you know what, if it means getting into the castle this is acceptable for brief periods, and it's not like the places he's used to don't all have back entrances like this because JRPGs are truly a thing of very stupid architectural beauty.

Okay. Castle. Awesome!]

These people can't even do castles properly; the one at Zaphias is at least imposing.

[...Not so awesome!]

I suppose we ought to get this over with.

[psychophant]

Castle Krakenburg is far more intimidating.

[but also it's home to garon, so what was anyone expecting.]

Let's see what we have here.

[Are the front doors opened? Locked?? Are we trapped out here forever???]

[inordertobelieve]

[ He's just staring at the two of you. ]

It's a residential castle, not a fortress.

[ Look, those things are different. He knows that from some random book he read when he was like 17 and then never forgot, because that is how he rolls.

Also does anything here look like traps? ]

[umbralant]

[ At least someone here appreciates baroque architecture. So what if it's melded in with classical and medieval, fusion is where it's at! Anyway. There's no sign of traps, but you might have seen some approaching the perimeter were you to come in the normal way. Putting traps around your house is awfully inconvenient and all.

Surprisingly(?) the door is unlocked, though it's quite heavy given how large it is. Swinging it open will reveal a large ornate reception room, we're talking you could easily house all the survivors here and still have plenty room to spare. Of course that means this castle is pretty damn big too, though all of the doors they can currently see are closed. ]

[drydrown]

...We'll cover more ground if we separate, but there's also somewhat more of a chance that we'll run into something. I'm armed so I should be fine regardless.

[So you're a fucking tactician, Iago. Do whatever the verb is for what tacticians do, because my brain keeps spitting out tacticate which isn't even a fucking word.]

[psychophant]

[don't worry he will definitely tacticate, it's what he does!!]

I am a bit worried about running into something; let's see what we have here before we decide.

[...This means he is going to try every single door to see which ones we can get open - but a spot check first!! Do we have anything that looks trapped here, or are they all safe to open and if so, which ones can we get open/what are we looking at here?]

[inordertobelieve]

I think you're the only one among us who would definitely come out fine in a fight.

[ To Cumore, obviously, the resident Knight, whatever that means in Terca Lumireis. ]

If anything, let's only split up inside rooms or individual corridors.

[ He's got the gun and all, but yeah. This doesn't feel particularly safe yet. ]

[umbralant]

[ Nothing looks trapped! Guess the Lady doesn't want to get caught on one of her own contraptions when she wakes up at 4am for milk and cookies. Assuming she eats those, which she does now. Checking on the doors will reveal ornate stately rooms, with high vaulted ceilings and expensive art on the walls, but it doesn't look very lived in. In fact the rooms look like they haven't been touched in a while, a thin layer of dust visible upon closer inspection.

The real interesting stuff doesn't seem to be on the main floor at least. Which leaves you with two options: the grand staircase that spirals upward, or the lone door that opens up into a stone passage with steps heading down. Which one will it be? ]

[drydrown]

[...]

Well, I imagine both of these are going to lead somewhere horrid.

[In other words, like hell if he's making this particular call. Tell them, Naegi.]

[psychophant]

Oh, absolutely.

[gods fine, give naegi a moment to think...]

We do need to move quickly, but it's best for the three of us to stick together. The castle itself seems abandoned, but that doesn't mean it is. I believe starting with the basement is best. Are you both in agreement?

[inordertobelieve]

[ Mikami's been taking great care to examine the rooms they pass without touching any dust and it's probably looked kind of funny, but he's here now, for this choice, and... ]

... if anything it sounds like the basement would be worse. So let's get it over with swiftly.

[ He'll get out the gun now just in case. Basement time it is. ]

[drydrown]

The basement will be fine. Do you want me to go see if there's light down there?

[Seeing as he won't need it.]

[psychophant]

You should lead the way, given your combat experience and Sonui. I have a lantern [helpfully holds it up!!] and I'm sure Teru Mikami is prepared, but it would be best for you to scout ahead.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Is he? Is he prepared? He's not going to correct this impression even if it feels vastly incorrect.

So he shall just stay silent and get in whatever passes for an exploring formation. ]

[drydrown]

Do avenge me if something eats me.

[All right, then, let's...go downstairs, he's got his sword with him and he's keeping it drawn and swear to fuck, he hates basements. Basements are where the weird people keep their torture pits and feed children to monsters and generally leave gore strewn about, and the Lady is so Ragou-tier weird. So here's hoping this basement is not also Ragou-tier weird.

First question: is there light down here?
Second question: what are we looking at(/what is he looking at even if there isn't light down here)? is it a gorefest. are there lizards.]

[umbralant]

[ A'scouting Cumore will go. The basement is not lit, so sending the Sonui is a good choice. It's also a decent ways down because Antumbra clearly wants all of survivor pool to get their steps in today. The stairs open up to a large room, ostensibly a dungeon at some point given it's cobbled rock floors and walls.

From what Cumore can make out with his echolocation, there's several workbenches with items on top. Notably there's no signs of lizards, or a gorefest. Phew. ]

[drydrown]

[Just. Over to the damn stairwell we go, then.]

It's a dungeon because of course it is! Bring light down here, it looks like she was using it for something else, I have no idea what.

[psychophant]

[Down we go!! Give us a moment to make it down here with light!!]

I don't know what else you expected...

[castle basements are always dungeons, aren't they??? Anyway, now that we've got some light down here, can we get a better idea of how many workbenches there are and what's on the closest ones?]

[umbralant]

[ There's two benches, one of which has a device of some kind, in the light it looks like it could be some kind of gauge but you'll need to look closer. On the other bench is something you're all exceedingly familiar with, skala! Or more accurately, a giant pile of skala.

Next to the scala is a blender. And while you're here, there's scuff marks on the floor surrounding the benches which track back to the stairs. ]

[inordertobelieve]

So that's... where we got our sludge.

[ Presumably? BUT WHY????

Mikami is going to leave that to Iago, who is an expert by now, and approach the device instead. What's its general shape etc? What's going on here? ]

[umbralant]

[ Why indeed, if only manager bats cared about their customer service rating. But onto the device! The device looks like a giant gauge with with a screen on the front (currently turned off) and a space on the bottom where it looks like you could insert something.

Notably there's no wires of any sort, but there is a power button in the corner.]

moves this here instead!!

[psychophant]

[deadeyeing the skala.........]

Why.

[But fine, apparently he's an expert now, so while Mikami's checking out the device, he'll go poke the skala! Is it exactly the same skala we're all used to? Is there anything else off about it?]

[drydrown]

[So for the sake of efficiency and because he imagines he can't 100% get away with just standing here looking cute, what kind of scuff marks are we looking at? Like something was dragged across the floor? Like some kind of substance...?]