Ch.2: "Trouble in Paradise" / Volcanic Paradise Island Arcadia

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell tells Phoebe, "Take a deep breath, it's okay. Do you know anything about either the rapids or the pools? Anything that would make one path a better choice than the other?"

She tells Leto, "If Phoebe doesn't know anything that would make one path better than the other, I lean toward the rapids. It might be a bit bumpy, but it could also push us ahead of the lava, though Phoebe might want to hold on extra tight."

Kelleia:2D6+3 → 8(1 +4 + 3)#Aquatics 2

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Phœbe clings onto one of the vines on Kell's thigh. "Rapids! Y-yes! So w-we can move rapidly! I d-don't wanna die!"

 

[Ireth]

Leto

"Rapids sounds good to me!"

Leto pushes herself to row faster, terror surging through her. She didn't survive a demon's teeth just to be burned alive inside the volcano!

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Leto and Kell row in perfect rhythm ((successful total + bonus for tie roll!)), making significant gains. The rapids are rough, but our heroines time their strokes perfectly, keeping the little boat upright with ease.

This doesn't make the fairy feel any safer. Tears flow rapidly from Phœbe's little golden eyes. She wails, "Up ah-h-head is Rain-b-bow's End! B-behind us is DEEEEEATH!"

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Not the glow of lava, but daylight! Our heroines are almost out!

((AQUATICS!))

 

[Ireth]

Leto

Leto clenches her teeth as she keeps rowing, praying they'll make it out of this alive!

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

((Moving on without a need for Kell's roll since your last turn gave you such a lead, a total of 11 [lowest possible with Leto's 6 and Kell's +3] would only mean the lava draws closer but doesn't actually reach you.))


Our heroines make it out of the tunnel, rowing right over the edge of a waterfall! Phœbe zips off of Kell's lap and latches onto a crystal ball attached to the little boat—something our heroines hadn't noticed in the darkness of the cavern. As she wraps her arms and legs around the tiny crystal, she flaps her wings so fast they become invisible. The crystal flashes colorful lights. The fairy is crying, repeating the phrase "I don't wanna die!"

It appears Phœbe, Kell and Leto don't need to worry about dying right now. The fall is a deadly drop of a thousand feet or so, but the boat not falling. It is held up by a rainbow that leads from the top of the waterfall to a very big and beautiful home. The waterfall is more like a lava-fall at the moment, but our heroines are drifting very far from the volcano. All they can do for now is stay in the boat.

Phœbe wipes her tears and relaxes. She seats herself on the starboard edge of the boat between the two heroines. She takes a deep breath.

"Up ahead is the Plambot Mansion. Please keep your arms, legs and personal belongings inside the boat and enjoy the ride. We will arrive at our destination in ten minutes."


((You're safe now. You just can't get out of the boat until you get to the mansion.))

 

[Ireth]

Leto

Leto gasps as the boat comes out of the end of the tunnel, only to be held up by a rainbow. The sight reminds her of the Bifrost Bridge and the gods of the north. She's not sure if it was them or some of the Olympians looking out for her and her friends, but she's grateful nonetheless.

She grins, then starts to laugh, in that odd drunken state of euphoria that often follows great terror. "We made it! We're alive!"

 

[tbgg]

Ch.2: "Trouble in Paradise" / Volcanic Paradise Island Arcadia

Kelleia

Blinking in startlement when the rapids become a rainbow, Kell asks Phoebe, "Have you ever taken this ride before? What do you know about getting invited inside the mansion? We heard that was difficult, though I suppose killing a Lava Demon and then falling inside a volcano wasn't exactly a walk in the park."

She thinks to Helix, 'Don't ask me how we got here, but we're at the Plambot Mansion. I don't know if we'll be sticking around or not.'


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[Legendary Sidekick]

"Alive, yes!" Phoebe replies. Then she ponders her words. "But I wouldn't be if you two didn't run into me. I'd be dead! All because of a crappy, minimum wage job!"

She tells Kell, "I had to use this exit when I learned how to use the rainbow ball. It's there so you don't kill the tourists if they accidentally row over the falls. I don't know why it goes to the mansion, but the owner's nice."

Our heroines soon meet the owner. He is handsomely dressed (though not handsome), wearing a patch over his left eye and a fancy red smoking jacket. Two metal handmaidens accompany him, one on each side, as he drifts between his bots on a floating chair. He may need the chair as his left leg is shorter than his right.

"I'm Heph," he says. "You're on my property." Three more metal woman turn as he says this. They begin to approach, walking at a fairly rapid pace. The Olympian remains calm and says, "Come in and have a drink, ladies." To his handmaidens he says, "Make 'em feel welcome."

There are five metal maidens. One gold, one silver, one copper, one iron, one platinum. The gold one says, "I am H0N-N1. Please step this way." As our heroines get close to the entrance, H Zero N Dash N One (a.k.a. Honni) says, "Caution. There are stairs. You must sign a waiver absolving Platbot Mansion of responsibility over any and all stair related acc--"

"Honni!" Heph calls out in a stern yet smooth tone, "Fairies fly, nymphs aren't clumsy, and Huntresses run around barefoot on sharp rocks in the woods. They're not gonna trip over the hems of their own skirts and sue us. Now please, invite the nice ladies into my home."

Honni says, "Enter, guests. Select your beverage."

The copper handmaiden waits behind a bar, apparently prepared to serve any drink one can imagine. "I am C0N-D1. My purpose is to serve any drink one can imagine."

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell smiles at Condi. "I'd like some of the coldest water you have, as long as it's clean. With a dash of lime juice."


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[Legendary Sidekick]

Condi operates a tap, pours perfectly clear water into a frosted mug, and crushes a lime in her metal fist. She slides the mug across the bar, and the mug stops directly in front of Kell.

The platinum maiden says, "I am M1N-T1, Public Relations. May I inquire your name, Guest?"

 

[Ireth]

Leto

Leto is calmer once they reach the mansion, and watches curiously as Heph and his robot maidens approach. It doesn't take a lot of guesswork to realize who he is; she wonders whether she should curtsy or not. At the mention of drinks, she smiles at Condi. "Thank you. I'll have cold water with lemon and honey."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Condi's deadly fist crushes a lemon for Leto's order. She scoops honey from a jar, though she's probably be willing to crush a bee's nest to get honey.

 

[tbgg]

Ch.2: "Trouble in Paradise" / Volcanic Paradise Island Arcadia

Kelleia

Kell takes a long drink of her water, then regards Minti. "My full name is Kelleia Silvertide, but I usually go by just Kell."

She asks Heph, "Seeing as you're a god and volcanos are one of your interests, do you know anything about the lava demon reported to live in the volcano here?"

"One thing we can tell you about it is it's now dead. I hope it wasn't one of your favorite possessions or anything."


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[Ireth]

Leto

Leto takes her mug and sips gratefully. She looks at Minti and says, "I'm known as Leto."

When Kell speaks to Heph, she adds, "We stopped a group of men from throwing virgins into the volcano, too. They and their chief are all dead." It's highly unlikely that last goon survived having the boulder smash into him.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Minti replies, "Nice to meet your acquaintance Leto and Kelleia."

The silver maiden approaches Kell. "You are Kelleia? I am K Three L Dash L Pi!" Red letters and numbers appear on her forehead: K3L-L3.14

"You hatched on my activation date," she says.

Heph tells Kell, "It was the day my wife and I got back together. I was in Nyse, sick of her shit, ready to sign divorce papers. Artemis took care of Adonis, that walking penis! But I'm not a schmuck. There would be another. She was too busy to deal with paperwork. A shell was hatching.

"I stood there--didn't sit, got up on my lopsided legs and watched an egg hatch. It was like watching grass grow. I was getting pissed off. For every crack that formed, I could name ten men. I stopped naming them after the first hundred, it was so damn depressing.

"Then there you were, this pretty little girl just looking around wondering why everyone's staring at you. I said to Aphrodite, what the hell are we doing this for? Then I just stood with my arm around my wife and she named you. I left without another word, tore up the papers, and named my silver maiden after you. My marriage isn't perfect, but the day you hatched is the day it turned around."

P4T-T1, the iron maiden, approaches. Her face is distorted from having been partially melted. "Thank you, hero," she says to Kell and Leto.

Heph gives Patti's arm a gentle squeeze. "We had a bit of trouble with that demon. My girls contained it, but you destroyed it. So you'll be getting more than a glass of water for your efforts."

 

[Ireth]

Leto

Leto smiles at Heph's story. "That's beautiful. I'm glad you and Aphrodite worked things out." Maybe this will change Kell's opinion of the goddess.

To Patti, she says, "You're welcome. But it wasn't just us who fought the volcano. Our friends Vin and the van Donk sisters helped a lot."

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell grins at her namesake, charmed. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

She tells Heph, "For all that Aphrodite can talk a person's ear off, she remains silent on some of the oddest subjects. I am glad you two were able to work things out."

Kell tells Patti, "I don't know if you heard the news, but Judge Xarris is dead." And she taps her orange purse meaningfully.

She says, "Yes, we were separated from our companions just after we finished killing the demon. They all played a part, and all risked their lives, though the fiancées - Jenny, Maribelle, and Colleen - didn't really sign up for any demon-killing. They are probably anxious about us, though I told my unicorn Helix that we're here. He just can't easily tell our friends that."


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[Legendary Sidekick]

Patti's eyes glow a little brighter at the news of Xarris' death. "I understand."

Heph says, "I'll see your friends get a warm welcome. Honni, go see if you can find that unicorn. Wait. Footmaidens are faster than handmaidens. You go, Condi."

Condi bows and swiftly exits the mansion.

Heph laughs at Aphrodite's silence on the significance of Kell's hatching. "Just as well she didn't tell you. What a spoiler that would've been! Anyway, you can tell her that you know next time your in Nyse. In the mean time, I've got a favor to ask. Come to my forge while we talk." He signals two maidens to escort him: "Patti Melt? Kell-Pi?"

Heph and his maidens lead our heroines to the forge. Phoebe stays to talk to Honni and Minti. She seems to be enjoying the conversation.

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell smiles again at Kell-Pi as they walk toward the forge and she asks her, "So what's your job around here?"


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