PHASE I [ day one ] Now, hopefully you’re not the type who takes their sweet time waking up. You’ve once again been dumped into a random part of the jungle but there’s really no opportunity for you to relax. You’ll quickly find that you’ve been lumped into two groups: the Unlucky and the Extremely Unlucky.
For the Unlucky, you’re going to feel your equilibrium just about ready to go as soon as you open your eyes. You’ve barely been caught on the edge of a cliff, resting on the slope and the slightest movement could send you careening over the edge. Get it together, grab the edge before you end up with the others—
The Extremely Unlucky have been dumped unceremoniously right into a pit of quicksand. The more they struggle, the more they sink, and they can feel the thrum of energy in their veins of what appears to be the very ground itself welcoming them into its embrace. What’s that? You’re not ready to go yet? Well better hope that the Unlucky get it together in time to save you.
PHASE II [ day one ] Occidi still remains nowhere to be found, but those of the earth affiliation will find themselves imbued with a natural sense of direction and where to go. It’s as if the very ground beneath their feet has been marked with an unseen path and they automatically know to follow it in a certain direction. But where are they going? Who knows.
Those brave enough to follow will find themselves led to a hole in the wall – literally a giant carved out tunnel into the face of a cliff side. Just be careful, it’s rather dark inside. Anyone who wanders in will find themselves going up, down, apparently in spirals and it’s hard to say whether you’re below or above sea level anymore. Yet it’s hard to mind since the walls of the place are lined with beautiful, reflective crystals that gently emit their own light. It’s a natural wonder—
Up until you touch one of them anyway. Coming into contact with one of the crystals will lead to its intense amplification of the vibration. It shakes. It shakes and shakes and shakes violently and – what’s that sound? The sound of the tunnel collapsing behind you? Ah. Better run then.
Try to avoid any of the holes or unstable ground or cliffs. Who knew spelunking could be so dangerous?
PHASE III [ day two ] Occidi is finally seen again out in the forest and it’s made clear that the invisible path that the travelers were drawn to was meant to lead to her. She nods once in acknowledgment of your progress and then turns and continues to walk. She will not answer questions if called out to. It will not take long for it to sink in that the entire forest is quiet, there is nothing stirring in this part.
At least, until characters look too long as the trees. Then, it all begins to slowly come alive. The leaves shake gently as the trees wake up out of their slumber, their roots stretching gently out of the ground as they rouse, and the groan of their trunks as they move slowly in response to Occidi’s presence.
They do not answer questions, but they speak freely. They whisper, “All will return to Occidi” and “The Bridge has come back to us”. They inquire, “But where are your families?” and “What are you?” Yet they continue to muse to themselves, mumbling at passersby without answering their responding questions.
Walk quickly. Those who dawdle for too long, looking to make conversation with the trees or otherwise, will begin to suffer from hallucinations of seeing their families within the forest, gravely injured. The hallucinations stumble and grab onto each character, begging them, “Don’t leave me.”
And you really don't want to stay in that forest when night falls, or you probably won't ever come back out -- but there will be one more moving, whispering tree amongst the forest.
There are hints that there are people living here, but it is impossible to find them amongst the moving, writhing branches and ushering trees; you may catch a glimpse of wide eyes from a greenish face beneath leafy hair if you look, but they'll disappear quickly soon afterwards, protected by the trees. It seems they've heard about a little happening in the jungle and they're not all too willing to chat now.
PHASE IV [ day three ] Finally, finally Occidi will come to a stop deep in the forested areas. Here, there are buildings made out of tree branches, perfectly built so as to not harm the trees or their surroundings. It's clearly a central village area, though there are still no people to be found, and the village itself is a bit of a mess; with scraps of metal scattered around the clearing, and burn marks on the trees.
Occidi won't answer any questions as to that, merely saying “Mine once lived here. But look at what was done to the others…. Not even the help of others could salvage what happened here.” Her normally level and tempered voice carries a string of anger.
Without another word, she disappears, leaving all here in the area. There are heaps of sheet metal scattered amongst the debris. After enough digging, one will be found bearing the emblem of CERES.
On the other hand, poking around the village itself might yield something interesting; deeper into the jungle, in an old, building made next to a giant tree, there appears to be a shrine of some sort. There is nothing odd about that, of course. But the shrine is covered in what was once old blood, and there are crude knives stacked on the shelves around it.
But there's nobody here to answer any questions about that.
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Re: phase iii
Are you real?
no subject
[Ishikirimaru's large blade is drawn to parry it just in case, with this close he could only hope Doutanuki would come to senses.]
no subject
He narrows his eyes and focuses on the blade. It's real. That much he can tell.
Slowly, he lowers his own sword and reigns in his erratic breathing.]
Have you seen Master? I haven't been able to find anyone.
no subject
[Was it the trees that had this effect? Even so, they needed to get away from this place to somewhere they could be safer in.
The forest was home to who knows what, and blade swings might be a little more cumbersome, especially for himself.]
no subject
[The word escapes with a little more force that he intends and he shoves his sword back into its sheath. He can hear the voices again, starting at the edges of the trees. Someone is calling for help, pleading for Dotanuki's assistance. But Ishikirimaru isn't moving and he isn't about to go darting off into the woods because he hears things. Even a spirit knows better than to do that.]
...We should go.
[He turns, forcing himself to move forward and to ignore the glimpses of others through the trees.]