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THIS IS HALLOWEEN: Deus Ex Machina

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Welcome to Deus Ex Machina, a humble training facility located on a remote island. 

 

Reply THIS IS HALLOWEEN: Deus Ex Machina Training Facilities
[Solo] tokyo 2020 y'all (Kenton) Goto Page: 1 2 3 [>] [»|]

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Smerdle

Scamp

PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:44 pm


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Quote:
Beneath the island is a series of caves that contain rune stone. Hunters who wish to try their hand at crafting runes the old fashioned way can swim down to them and collect stones to work with. Those who can't hold their breath underwater for a half hour may borrow an air tank from the Sun divisions swim team, but only once per week, as they have extreme swim practice the rest of the time.



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Swimming Down
In the water surrounding the island there's numerous edlritch horrors of the deep waiting to attack your hunter.

Roll 1d6
1: a massive sea creature attacks you. Roll 1d20 to escape its gaping maw. If you roll 10+ you escape it, if you roll below you receive 10 damage and need to try again.
2: a bus-sized sea creature attack you. It has 30 HP and 5 auto damage. You can escape it by rolling 1d20 and getting 13+, failure results in auto damage.
3: a small-sized sea creature attack you. It has 15 HP and 3 auto damage. You can escape it by rolling 1d20 and getting 15+, failure results in auto damage.
4: you are safe.
5: you are safe.
6: you are safe.


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Exploring the Caves
Some of the caves house many useful stones, other house things waiting to kill you. You can keep on collecting for as long as your willing to risk it (or until you die.)

Roll 1d8
1: A few stones! Roll 1d4 to see how many you find in this cave!
2: Sentient sea weed aggressively gropes you! Roll 1d4 to see how much damage it does!
3: A nice amount of stones! Roll 1d8 to see how many you find in this cave!
4: Tentacles! Roll 1d8 to see how much damage they do!
5: A bunch of stones! Roll 1d10 to see how many you find in this cave!
6: This area becomes permanently mob free and reveals a large cache of stones, roll 1d20 to see how many you find in this cave!
7: The mermaids guarded several large, dark caves that are now open to explore. Hundreds to thin, snake-like tendrils shoot out from the darkness. Roll 1d12 to see how much damage they do!
8: The mermaids guarded several large, dark caves that are now open to explore. What appears to be a cave full of inviting stones is actually a huge toothy maw, patiently waiting to devour you. Roll 1d20 to see how much damage it does!


Swimming Back
Roll 1d6
1: you are safe.
2: you are safe.
3: you are safe.
4: a massive sea creature attacks you. Roll 1d20 to escape its gaping maw. If you roll 10+ you escape it, if you roll below you receive 10 damage and need to try again.
5: a bus-sized sea creature attack you. It has 30 HP and 5 auto damage. You can escape it by rolling 1d20 and getting 13+, failure results in auto damage.
6: a small-sized sea creature attack you. It has 15 HP and 3 auto damage. You can escape it by rolling 1d20 and getting 15+, failure results in auto damage.

If your HP drops below 0, you lose half your stones as your body floats back to the surface.



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Crafting Your Stones
Find a place where you can reach the most perfect calm and focus possible, and then begin carving Uruz into each of your stones. Think on the purpose of the stone, and meaning of Uruz as you do so. Focus as much of yourself and your actions on the rune and the act of carving. Some people choose to chant out loud or do visual exercises to more perfectly focus on the task, but different methods work best for different people. Once the rune begins to glow, you'll know it's finished. Because this process depends more on people than lab computers and code, it's less consistent and predictable in its results.

Roll 1d10 for each rune stone
1-4: failure! The runestone never glows and eventually breaks.
5-8: Regular Rune! The runestone can power small, battery-operated runic devices for up to a week.
9-10: Superior Rune! The runestone can charge your runic weapons. (In and out of battle. If in battle, it will take 5 turns for the weapon to properly charge.)


Level Up!
After 5 runs down to the caves and carving out runes, your hunter has enough experience to be considered a Runic Journeyman. They may adjust their rolls during rune gathering and carving by 1 point (up or down.)

After 10 runs down to the caves and carving out runes, your hunter has enough experience to be considered a Runic Adept. They may adjust their rolls during rune gathering and carving by 2 points (up or down.)

After 15 runs down to the caves and carving out runes, your hunter has enough experience to be considered a Rune Master. They may adjust their rolls during rune gathering and carving by 3 points (up or down.)
PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:46 pm



1/21/2018
attempt one

Smerdle

Scamp

Smerdle rolled 1 6-sided dice: 5 Total: 5 (1-6)

Smerdle

Scamp

PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:47 pm


Watching Gretchen and Dai's sister—Seren, he had learned—spar on the sand had piqued Kenton's interest with regard to the beach. He had since asked around about its relative safety, something he'd never have even considered doing had he not been... here. After being assured that the creatures under the water might only kill him a little (oh, how quickly his maritime standards had plummeted) and informed that there were things to discover in the depths, he rented a scuba tank and a gently chewed suit, texted Gretchen his whereabouts, and headed out, diving under the water with only slight trepidation.

Linus was a reassuring presence in his mind, a curious passenger on board the U.S.S. Polk, though as it turned out, there was little to see, at least at first. Kenton sank lower and lower under the water, searching for sharp claws, gnashing teeth, and hidden treasure.

Quote:
5: you are safe.
Smerdle rolled 1 8-sided dice: 7 Total: 7 (1-8)
PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:48 pm


It didn't take long for him to realize that each of the dark gouges in the rock went far deeper than he'd assumed. Kenton approached warily, his runic flashlight illuminating the way forward with a little too much fervor. He felt the angry shriek more than he heard it, though he definitely had no trouble seeing the pencil-thin tentacles as they shot toward him soon after, hard enough to bruise. Thankfully, his shield and the suit negated the need for him to head back, remaining intact through it all. He floated away a little, eyes wide behind his mask.

He had expected Linus to be just as horrified as he was, but the weapon was more curious than anything else, though there was a touch of amusement in there as well, all at Kenton's expense.

Just keep your wits about you and everything will be fine, came his dour reassurance.

Quote:
7: The mermaids guarded several large, dark caves that are now open to explore. Hundreds of thin, snake-like tendrils shoot out from the darkness. Roll 1d12 to see how much damage they do!

Smerdle

Scamp

Smerdle rolled 1 12-sided dice: 2 Total: 2 (1-12)

Smerdle

Scamp

PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:49 pm


Quote:
HP: 38/40
Smerdle rolled 1 8-sided dice: 1 Total: 1 (1-8)
PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:50 pm


Quote:
1: A few stones! Roll 1d4 to see how many you find in this cave!

Smerdle

Scamp

Smerdle rolled 1 4-sided dice: 2 Total: 2 (1-4)

Smerdle

Scamp

PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:52 pm


It took him quite a while to work up the courage to try another cavern, but when he did, literally nothing dangerous was inside. Kenton rolled his eyes, since sighing into scuba equipment was probably a bad idea, and swam inside, shining his flashlight here and there until he spotted something distinctly out of place. It seemed almost man made when compared to the jagged spikes that otherwise lined the cave, and when Kent picked it up, Linus huffed out a laugh.

Is that what we're here for? Some old hag's statement necklace?

When Kent sent back confusion, Linus replied with a mental shrug. You'll see. Someday.

Quote:
Stones: 2
Smerdle rolled 1 8-sided dice: 6 Total: 6 (1-8)
PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:54 pm


Quote:
6: This area becomes permanently mob free and reveals a large cache of stones, roll 1d20 to see how many you find in this cave!

Smerdle

Scamp

Smerdle rolled 1 20-sided dice: 16 Total: 16 (1-20)

Smerdle

Scamp

PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:55 pm


Kenton swam on, Linus quietly nudging the hunter into cave after cave, only to find nothing. This area was surprisingly tendril-free, but with the relatively newfound protection afforded him by the former Halloween student, Kent discovered that the lack of danger was surprisingly boring. It was only when he finally came across a trove of stones that he perked up, gathering them and shoving them into his pack well before he considered the danger.

Try to think of the mermaids next time, Linus said, his drawl mildly condescending.

Mermaids?

Mermaids.

Kent was thoughtful as he kicked out of the cavern. Mermaids. All right.

Quote:
Stones: 18
Smerdle rolled 1 6-sided dice: 2 Total: 2 (1-6)
PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:56 pm


The swim up was just as uneventful as the one down had been, but that was all right. Kenton had mermaids on his mind.

Quote:
2: you are safe.

Smerdle

Scamp

Smerdle rolled 18 10-sided dice: 9, 8, 2, 3, 5, 5, 3, 8, 3, 10, 1, 2, 8, 5, 5, 5, 1, 7 Total: 90 (18-180)

Smerdle

Scamp

PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 8:00 pm


Hours later back in his room, Kenton sat on his bed and lined up his eighteen stones in a neat arc. He had obtained an odd little chisel from R&D with which to carve them, and instructions to clear his mind of everything save tranquility, power, and Uruz... or something like that. He thought doing so without interruption would be easiest in his own space, despite its lack of amenities.

As usual, it took gathering a number of scratchy blankets around his shoulders to get him to stop shivering, and only then could Kent concentrate with what he determined was the necessary intensity. He debated meditating, but he had never been too terribly good at it like Dinah and Portia had. In the end, he focused as hard as he could, ending up with a handful of both decent and ruined stones, as well as a pair that glowed somewhat more brightly than the rest. He'd have to keep an eye on those two.

Quote:
1-4: Failure! The runestone never glows and eventually breaks.
5-8: Regular Rune! The runestone can power small, battery-operated runic devices for up to a week.
9-10: Superior Rune! The runestone can charge your runic weapons. (In and out of battle. If in battle, it will take 5 turns for the weapon to properly charge.)
Quote:
Failure: 7
Regular: 9
Superior: 2
PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 12:18 pm



1/29/2018
attempt two

Smerdle

Scamp

Smerdle rolled 1 6-sided dice: 6 Total: 6 (1-6)

Smerdle

Scamp

PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 12:20 pm


Following his first successful attempt at gathering runestones from beneath the island, Kenton was fired up to try again. He would have set out right away had there not been a limit on the number of times he could rent scuba equipment from the Suns, but even when that time limit was up, his enthusiasm was thwarted once more. He had... duties. Training. Fighting. Watching the living dead. It was strange to have his days filled rather than filling them himself.

Kent found time to pick up some gear the morning after that instead, practically running down to the beach once he had it. He slid into the water and headed in the direction opposite to the one he'd chosen last week. And much like during that trip, he made his way to the caves with little issue.

Quote:
6: you are safe.
Smerdle rolled 1 8-sided dice: 8 Total: 8 (1-8)
PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 12:21 pm


The caverns here were much larger than the ones he'd found before, and when he reached them, Kenton headed straight in.

Do they always look the same? These runestones.

As far as I know. They can be carved on their own or used as mounts for jewels. But raw... I would think the coloration and overall appearance would remain similar to what you've seen so far. I have certainly never come across any that deviated.

It was so very strange that Linus could recall all of the unimportant things about his life before, but nothing of his life.

Kent continued on, confident in what he was searching for. He passed many things that resembled the stones, but none that matched exactly. He was nearing the halfway point on his oxygen tank when he finally found what he was looking for. A gold mine, if magical rocks could be called gold.

Go slowly, Linus warned.

Yes, Kent replied, though he didn't slow. He was a good fifty feet into the side cavern when he noticed that the stones were a little too mossy, a little too uniform. This was a trap.

Go. Go!

The jaws closed around him as he scrambled to leave, bending him nearly in half as he turned. It didn't hurt exactly, so little had since he'd bonded with Linus, but the realization that the runestones were teeth coupled with that sudden compression sent Kent into a bit of a panic. He flailed in place until he received a mental slap a moment later, then when he realized he was free, he turned more purposefully and sped out of the cave.

Quote:
8: The mermaids guarded several large, dark caves that are now open to explore. What appears to be a cave full of inviting stones is actually a huge toothy maw, patiently waiting to devour you. Roll 1d20 to see how much damage it does!

Smerdle

Scamp

Smerdle rolled 1 20-sided dice: 14 Total: 14 (1-20)

Smerdle

Scamp

PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 12:22 pm


Quote:
HP: 26/40
Reply
THIS IS HALLOWEEN: Deus Ex Machina Training Facilities

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