The dungeon entrance is the central ruin of the island, yes. There are a number of smaller ones that are not protected by Greater Guardians.Originally Posted by Skull Leader
The dungeon entrance is the central ruin of the island, yes. There are a number of smaller ones that are not protected by Greater Guardians.
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
I believe you are missing a few important factors in your thoughts here. Being trained by a former champion is good and all but Remona is not the only one that has that factor. Lubatius has had similar training as well, matter of fact he is likely one of the best brewers of the competition so I think he can outclass Remona. If you think Ayaka is hindered by Elesa then well, you do not remember the Quidditch moment in the pass where Elesa matched pound for pound the magical talents of Ayaka. Also there is that slit issue of Elesa being a full on trained agent of Illuminati and has the ability/curse of not being able to die from mortal means.
So yeah Elesa is not slowing any one down, she just does not care about winning. Remona is the agent that got trained to be the actually champion to allow Elesa more flexibility to complete her mission. Still Ayaka-Elesa should have no issues surviving and will score super well.
Not that her special ability is exactly going to be an issue unless you try to kill her. Fundamentally, she's built for missions other than Potions Championships, with her potions brewing being mediocre at best, but she excels in combat and has worked with Ramona a bit in the past, so she's not completely helpless. They're the one group which probably doesn't have to worry about dangerous wildlife and such though.
Find some Ruins or Ask Zelkova, which will it be?
Last edited by alfheimwanderer; February 16th, 2018 at 12:00 PM.
I agree that Elesa isn't dead weight per se, but I don't believe that her abilities provide any synergy with Ayaka. I'd expect Elesa to have the least knowledge of brewing potions and herbology out of all the champions while her survival/defense abilities are of less use when paired with Ayaka, who already ranks near the top of the champions for that. I imagine that Ayaka is mostly going to be on her own, while Elesa is "looking for ingredients" (searching ruins) or "scouting the perimeter" (keeping an eye on Ramona).
For this specific trial, I think Müller will prioritize observing the competition and let Akindele do the brewing. Ahgeak is outclassed as an individual by many, but she has two teammates that will greatly help in scavenging and defense. The limiting factor for this trial will probably be acquiring useful ingredients and having the time to figure out how to use them.
My rankings are roughly:
Brewing - Sajyou, Lestrange; Müller; Matou (with Budge), Ahgeak, Akindele, Sondrol, Stukov, Agarwal; Kapule; Matou (without Budge); Labelle
Herbology/Scavenging - Matou, Sajyou; Müller, Agarwal; Akindele, Lestrange, Kapule; Ahgeak; Sondrol, Stukov; Labelle
Combat/Survival - Labelle, Sajyou, Müller/Lestrange/Matou/Stukov, Kapule/Sondrol/Akindele/Agarwal, Ahgeak
I'll switch my vote to [x] Ask Zelkova his opinion to break the tie as it is a safer option.
Last edited by Perverse Transcriptase; March 2nd, 2018 at 03:06 PM. Reason: Updated combat rankings to account for Kapule's troll killing abilities.
Choice 271: [x] Ask Zelkova
Choice 272: On the face of it, following Ramona's suggestion of seeking out ruins seemed like a good idea, given that the brewer would be the one whose safety relied on most on the camp's defenses while they were brewing, unlike the scout or defender, whose relied instead on their own prowess in the magical arts.
Still, that depended on if there were any such ruins nearby, and if any of these had been...effectively mass graves over the years, where many an unwary competitor met their end. After all, it wasn't as if only humans could grasp the basic concept that shelter was more useful than none at all, and given that the area they were in wasn't functionally cut off from the rest of the island, even if it was usually less dangerous. Shinji himself had focused on what ingredients might be found and their general range, and had mostly gotten his head around what ingredients did what, even if Budge warned him that simply checking in a book was no substitute for experimentation, especially with several of these very rare ingredients.
'Zelkova, are there ruins near here?'
The reply that came back wasn't exactly encouraging.
'There are two - both about three kilometers from this point. One towards the center of the island, and the other very close to shore,' the kodama replied in his mind. 'The one that is more central is fairly well concealed, according to most records, as it is surrounded by a grove of old trees. However, it has been the site of several deaths in the last century. It is suspected that some creature has made those ruins its lair. The other is almost entirely exposed to the elements, without much in the way of cover.'
"What are we most concerned about?" Shinji asked out loud. "Our fellow competitors? The environment? The wildlife?"Ramona and Ka'aukai shared a look.
"The environment," Ramona said after a moment. "There's going to be a storm tonight."
"...and how could you know that?" Shinji inquired, narrowing his eyes. Was this a magical trick he could pick up somewhere, or...?
"...I just have a feeling about these things," the other replied. "Best we find shelter and set up camp quickly, before the elements make that...more difficult."
"Well, Ramona wishes to find ruins and I don't particularly care where we go, though a cave might be better shelter. Do you have anything to suggest before we begin moving, Matou? If a storm is coming, we had best decide quickly."
What does Shinji recommend?
[ ] The ruins near the beach
[ ] The ruins closer to the center
[ ] Let's find a cave
Last edited by alfheimwanderer; February 21st, 2018 at 02:21 PM.
Just to check these ruins closer to the center is not the ruins that are at the center that has the oh god oh god monster at it? Also, does Zelkova remember which school champions perished at that site?
[X] The ruins closer to the center w/ a warning of past danger at site
Assuming of course that my previous questions do not turn up answers that scary me more. In which case, I say go with the cave instead.
Yes this site will be dangerous but it is the best site we can get for defending. Trees for Zelkova, and ruins for Remona. Provided we earn the right to say there by first slaying whatever monster lives there. So time to go Monster Hunter on this. We have the team, we just need to scout and find out the exact nature of the monster to best form a way to kill it. Heck if we are extremely lucky, we might even earn a great potion material out of this.
Downsides of courses is the huge amount of risk this undertaking will be and that it will force Shinji to show his cards to his teammates. But I rather show the cards to them and get a base that will easily defended from other teams to the point that we do not have to show Shinji hand to any one else. The cave option would be ok but there is still a risk of it being a lair of a monster only this time Shinji does not have the big warning about it, plus far more time will be spent on finding said cave vs gathering resources since they will have to locate a cave.
Thought Shinji should double check with his teammates to make sure that they are willing and able to fight unknown deadly monster(s) to get this base.
Sad thing is that Shinji has gone on the record to be the fighter in the group, so any Monster Hunting is going to force him to do the heavily lifting for and/or lead. God help us.
This is not the ancient temple complex with the many floors of monster guardians, no. If there is anything there, it moved in - it is not specifically kept around as part of an ancient set of tests/defenses for those who would seek to claim the rewards of the labyrinth.
As for who has died there in the past, a handful of Hogwarts and Uagadou students have met their ends in that general area, mostly prior to 1950, though the most recent death was in 1974, when a Castelobruxo student met her end. The number is not particularly high, compared to the blot of red at the center of the island, but it suggests that there may be something there.
Not voting the cave, which could likely end up as trapping the group. Also, it's probably already in use.
[x] The ruins near the beach.
The closer to the center, the more shit we will have to deal with. I thus pick the isolated shore, which can be exploited by Kau as well as Ramona. Bad weather looks like it will be a pain, but it also means few are likely to target the group since they would likely seek cover under the canopy or in caves. Not having to deal with monsters on the camp site means more time for foraging, building defenses and brewing in peace.
On the plus side, unlikely the group will suffer from a sandstorm ignition under the rain.
[X] The ruins closer to the center
Three kilometers is a short distance, even on this island, and wouldn't take much time. If we were starting at the midpoint between ruins, we'd be six kilometers (at worst) away from the beach ruins and probably in no worse position for finding a cave once we reach the central ruins. I think we could easily head straight for the central ruins and maintain the option for retreat if it is really over our heads at the cost of a ~40 minute detour for caves or ~1 hour for the beach ruins (using Naismith's rule adjusted down to 4.5km/hour and a 90 degree angle between the two paths).
The central ruins are concealed and are only likely to be found by those who read the death reports (and want an "accident" to happen to their partner), specifically studied ruins (Labelle), or someone specifically tracking our team. I think we can handle clearing the central ruins in order to obtain the best chance of improving our potion abilities along with a good shelter.
I am tempted to choose the beach ruins just in case we have a chance of unlocking our Wakame Paradise/Verdant Wonderland Noble Phantasm during the storm.
Choice 272: [X] The ruins closer to the center
Choice 273: For Matou Shinji, the decision is simple - if there was a storm coming, and never mind just how Ramona knew that, they needed to get under shelter quickly, and thanks to Zelkova's research, he already knows the location of somewhere that should be fairly well-protected from the elements.
At least, he thinks.
If not, he suspects Zelkova can use his mastery of bounded fields and earth manipulation to fill in the gaps.
"There's a set of ruins about three kilometers from here," he says out loud, with an expression of surprise flitting across Ka'aukai's face as the Polynesian Champion heard this. 'So he didn't look this up, huh? Wonder what he looked into.' "Though a few Champions have died there some years ago, so there might be something else there."
"I see," Ramona notes, nodding. "That's useful to know." She glances at Ka'au. "How fortunate then, that we have a scout acknowledged by Lady Yamato herself."
Shinji thinks he can see the Polynesian Champion flush slightly at the praise, though he wonders just what a Killer Whale Animagus --
'No. He can take on more forms than that.'
"Matou, which way?" Ramona asks, with Zelkova helpfully indicating a bearing and distance in Shinji's mind.
Shinji, for his part, relays the information onwards.
"Well then, would you kindly?" she asks, with Ka'aukai nodding, his body lengthening and twisting as his arms became wings, with the man's form changing into that of one of the largest birds he'd ever seen. An eagle of some sort, with razor-sharp claws, and a wickedly curved beak which shot into the sky - in the direction indicated - with a mighty beat of its broad, sweeping wings. "Let's follow."
"Right."
"You said you were a fighter, right?" Ramona questions, with Shinji nodding. "You might have the chance to pull your weight then. Also, can you scout from the ground, while Ka'au covers the air, or should I handle that part?"
What does Shinji respond?
[ ] Send Zelkova to scout ahead (with an ofuda in case flow-walking/fusion is needed on site)
[ ] Approach, but wait at a safe distance for Ka'aukai to report back
[ ] Fuse and synchronize with the world, so he will be invisible to any possible attackers
[ ] Fuse and attempt to project his form to the ruins, as the Maiden might
[ ] Ask Ramona to handle ground-based scouting
Last edited by alfheimwanderer; February 21st, 2018 at 02:54 PM.
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
I still twitch every time I hear that trigger. I know what a man does or a slave but what will a boy named Shinji do?
My vote is for [X] Fuse and synchronize with the world, so he will be invisible to any possible attackers.
My policy is to have Shinji not worry about what he shows in front of his team but to act as professional as possible to complete the job in front of him to the best of his ability. As a side note, this should also mean that Shinji should remember to be downwind of the site as he approachs so as to not trigger any creature at the site sense of smell. I would think Lockhart would have covered this basic concept already but you never know.
The other fusion option I pretty sure is far far beyond what Shinji is capable at the current moment. Failure is not a option here so we should avoid extreme experimentation. Sending Zel in first might not be bad in a scouting sense but when there is something at the site that killed Champions before best not to caught with your pants down and unable to fuse. Asking Remona to scout, might be a wise idea but it reduces their confidence in Shinji's abilities, which adds even more pressure that he better be a good fighter in the end if that is what he considers himself to be best at if he is going to have any worth as a champion. Cause they have not seen signs of it so far based solely on pregame activities.
Last edited by Skull Leader; February 22nd, 2018 at 12:05 AM.
[x] Fuse and synchronize with the world, so he will be invisible to any possible attackers
On a side note - we really should practice this projection trick in the future. While 'cool jutsu are not everything, young Orochimaru' - they are still cool.
[x] Fuse and synchronize.
Distribute ofuda around maybe? (For warp)
Last edited by Daiki; February 22nd, 2018 at 01:00 AM.
Choice 273: [X] Fuse and synchronize with the world, so he will be invisible to any possible attackers
Choice 274: It was tempting to hang back and see what Ramona could bring to the table in the way of scouting abilities, but Matou Shinji knew that if he did that, he would be expected to contribute more greatly in terms of combat and foraging ability later on. And besides, he had a perfectly serviceable ability for such purposes - even if it did mean revealing fusion.
He breathed, pulling the world into him, letting his consciousness - his self - dive deep into the darkness of his mind, where he opened the door separating himself from the rest of reality. Two minds blended. Two souls, reinforcing each other through constructive interference to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
His horned fusion form, clad as usual in a gray Japanese garment, with skin hard as stone and his awareness expanded. The earth around him, the flows of prana in the air, the location of every tree and beast upon the ground, Ramona, seeming less a person than a person-shaped void waiting to be filled.
But then he went further, synchronizing himself to the flows and patterns of the world, letting his sense of self fade in a way rendered him invisible, imperceptible, because for all intents and purposes, there was no Matou Shinji, just another piece of the world. At least, until he gathered the will needed to actually attack.
"Ah, Fusion and one of its higher arts," Ramona noted, seeming not particularly surprised by the boy's display. Then again, he had shown off fusion on his very first day on the island. "I suppose you will understand what I'm about to do then."
She too, breathed, and the world - or at least, pieces of it - rushed in to fill the person-shaped void that was Ramona, something like spirits of air and earth joining with her, her weak outline growing stronger, shifting her sense of presence and nature from simply human to something...more and less all at once, her patterns changed somehow, even if to conventional eyes she looked exactly the same.
"Let us go," she said, and both of them moved, faster than most would think them capable of.
It didn't take long before they arrived at the hollow, surrounded as it was by a grove of titanic trees, each wider than if Shinji, Ramona, and Ka'aukai all joined hands and stood side by side. The trees whispered, sang, laughed among each other, seemingly unaware of anything else, though when Shinji opened his consciousness to them, he felt--
BLOOD
'Blood?'
DECAY. DEATH.
'Hm?'
The image came of a ruin that was almost like a temple, with something like a clan of trolls within - and something else, besides. Something they worshiped, lurking deep inside, which the trees could not see.
Ka'au's eagle form swoops down next to them, with the man returning to himself next to Ramona as he touches down.
"Aside from a number of Swooping Evils which left this place just a few minutes ago, there are trolls in this hollow," Ka'aukai reported. "These ruins...they look almost like a shrine."
"Good work. Well then, gentlemen, surely we can handle a few trolls?" Ramona asked, raising an eyebrow.
Around them, the wind was beginning to rise.
Shinji, for his part...
[ ] Agrees. He is already fused - and it would be a delicious irony to kill a troll by petrifying it
[ ] Agrees. They've come far enough that it would be folly to turn back now.
[ ] Comments that there is something else in the ruins, and they should be careful
[ ] Says that there is something else in the ruins, and with incomplete information, they shouldn't attack
[ ] Offers to go in alone first, in case there are more than just trolls
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
[X] Says that there is something else in the ruins, and with incomplete information, they shouldn't attack
I could also go with the other option of something else in the ruins but given that we seem to be a team of decent scouts, we might as well figure out what is truly the big bad at this location before going charging in. Fighting something inside the zone it controls is not always the best plan, ala the spider horde.
Going in alone sounds dumb but I guess if someone is able to do that and live Shinji has the best chance of that. But that move feels like it comes from Phelen's Art of Scouting book. Run in first and scout the place by running thru the front door, so that you can start the killing as soon as possible.
[x] Says that there is something else in the ruins, and with incomplete information, they shouldn't attack.
We probably shouldn't waste too much time for setting the camp but I sure don't want to run blindly into this.
Note that I would also be inclined to lean towards the third option. I mean, we were dead set on taking this location, even if it likely meant to fight for it, after all.
The beach option is always out there, I guess.
Last edited by Daiki; February 22nd, 2018 at 10:52 PM.
We spent very minimum time so far,. After a few minutes of talk we then ran directly to the location rather than spending hours finding a place. At a pace that was faster than a normal runner. So we spent maybe 15 minutes getting there as an estimate (excellence cross country runner time). So I think we are doing good at time so far. But yes my thought was not to waste too much time getting more info but to actually pool the scouting ability of the other members to discover the bigger threat so that it can be taken out.
Choice 274: [x] Says that there is something else in the ruins, and with incomplete information, they shouldn't attack.
Choice 275:
"...if it were just trolls, then yes, they would be trivial to handle," Shinji agrees, fading into view once more just outside the barrier of trees. "But there's something else there, inside the ruins. Something far more dangerous than any troll."
"Oh? You sensed this?" Ramona questions. "Or...?"
"I asked the trees," the boy from the East explains with a deep exhalation. "They've been here far longer than any of us. Whatever the...thing inside is, they..." He tilted his head as he listened. "...they keep watch for it. It cannot pass them. Not while they sing."
"Do they know what it was?"
"They...they cannot describe it, except as death. Blight. Decay," Shinji whispers, feeling a shudder run through him. "It was wounded when it came. The island sought to seal it. But the trolls worship it, feed it. Something like that - I'm not sure we should proceed. At the very least, we can't just attack blindly."
At his words, the Kahuna of Nu'utea Kohu and the Champion of Qausuittuq look at each other grimly.
"It cannot pass them while they sing?" the Polynesian echoes, his tone seeming to harbor some deep suspicion. "That sounds like something else of which I know."
"...indeed it does," Ramona agrees, shaking her head as she breathes again, and to Shinji's senses, her patterns seem to ripple. "Matou, you have a point about blindly attacking, but you would not object to proceeding cautiously, would you? We are here, after all, and..." Jagged streaks of lightning filled the sky, the dull roar of thunder crashing over them almost immediately afterwards, as heavy drops of rain began to fall towards earth. "Well...I think the weather speaks for itself."
"All three of us seem to have scouting abilities," Ka'aukai Kapule pointed out. "So let us scout. Trolls we can dispatch quietly. As for whatever they worship..."
"Best we learn, sooner than later," Ramona added, with Shinji startling as he noticed that her eyes now glowed with an unearthly green sheen. "I can go alone, if you wish. But I would prefer all of us join forces. What say you, Matou?"
What does Shinji do?
[ ] Agree, and volunteer to take point
[ ] Agree, and say he'll watch her back
[ ] Suggests that someone (write in name) should wait outside just in case its a trap
[ ] Disagree - it is too dangerous
[ ] Go with what Ka'aukai suggests
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
[X] Agree, and volunteer to take point
Fusion Shinji is a damage reduction tank with still some good scouting abilities. Its not invincibility or an absolute defense but the tank should really take point to do their job.
Ramona might be fine taking point with whatever skills she has. She does however, have the role of being the potion brewer in the group whereas Shinji is sadly less valuable to the completion of the current mission. He will no doubt in the end cause them to raise his value and gain their respect. But taking the dangerous front position to protect others is what he simple does.
I am also not one to split the party when there is a large amount of danger nearby.
Last edited by Skull Leader; February 23rd, 2018 at 02:46 AM.
[x] Agree, and volunteer to take point.
Well, I suppose we were bound to cross paths with eldritch horrors at some point. Better do it with support than alone.
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