Captain's Log 08 - A Tristise on Adventuring

[universal_charm]

Who: Jim Kirk & You
Broadcast: No
Action: In a water temple (any of them)
When: Now/Throughout the month

Since there seem to be a lot of us exploring these temples and every single one of them comes with at least some level of trap/puzzle, I thought it might be a good idea to share some of the ones I've come across. While no puzzle is exactly the same as any other puzzle in any temple I've come across, some of the basic ideas behind them are similar - which is half the battle with these things, it seems.

At any rate, I hope this proves helpful to everyone and will help keep everyone out of tight situations. If you have any questions contact me, and if you want to make additions from your own experiences and upload please do so.

- Captain Kirk

[ DOWNLOAD FILE: WATER TEMPLES_TRAPS AND PUZZLES LOG V. 5.6.1 ]

_{[ The file itself is a rather detailed text log of every trap he can accurately remember coming across in the numerous temples he has been in. What, he's been busy, okay? It includes everything from the giant eel guarding a key he came across with Isabella, to sliding walls, sliding statues, puzzle pieces, making objects light up in certain orders. It's a hefty file, to be sure. Happy reading! ]}

Action - Water Temple #394
<sub>[ Kirk has gone to explore another temple he's come across, and much to his chagrin the second puzzle has begun to stymie him. He floated in the center of the room, arms crossed as he glared at the door in front of him, which had several glowing shapes, of which only four of five were lit. He was missing something, some critical switch or piece and he just couldn't figure out where he was erring.

But he was making the critical mistake when it came to puzzles in a water temple. There was always something out to get out, in one way or another. In this case, it was a bit of the ceiling, coming loose after years of neglect. Accident, this time, rather malicious intent. But it's coming down anyways, and Kirk doesn't see it. ]

[ ooc: Feel free to rescue him, or to start in another chamber of the temple. The above was just an option for starting ]</sub>

Comments

#394

[girlverine]

[There was a blur of bubbles and motion as Laura shot past Kirk, her own exploration having been side-tracked by the strange sensation in the water that she had started to identify as 'falling rocks.' Of course, when she'd glanced that way, she'd seen him...just...floating there? As the ceiling slowly tumbled towards him.]

[That 'hero' instinct she'd been trying to smother kicked in, which was why she shot past him, hit the wall, bunched up, and then shoved backwards, catching him around the middle and hopefully propelling them both out of the collapsing room.]

[She was tiny, but she was strong.]

Action - 394

[tallasaking]

Tyrion had in fact, downloaded all of the files and read them thoroughly before heaving out a sigh. If he wanted to find out what was in these watery temples, if it was something for him? He had a feeling he had to be quick about it.

So here he was, in chamber 27, trying to figure out a word puzzle with different letters and symbols than he was used to. Clearly it was some sort of code ...

A pause, as he heard a distant rumble, and looked up. His part of the ceiling seemed solid enough, but he ought to go check out the rest. After all, he wasn't a strong swimmer because of his legs. If he had to get out fast it wasn't going to be fast enough.

So he started to swim towards the entrance, spotting Jim as he stared at the four lit signals. It was then when Tyrion noticed his friend ... well, about to get crushed. He couldn't shout out a warning, so he did the next best thing. From the belt of his swimming suit he pulled out a grappling gun - something he had traded for in the last planet. He switched the hook to the rubber one, aimed, he shot, and he snagged Kirk's ankle. Then he jerked his friend back, as he braced himself on the wall outside of the chamber, hoping that the gravity of water worked in his favor.

#394

[wolfuncaged]

[Fenris was only here to be the muscle. Though not an idiot by any means, he doesn't really do traps. That's a rogue's work, not a warrior's. He was watching Kirk continually fail the puzzle when he caught the shifting rock out of the corner of his eye.

Shit.

The lyrium flares into life and aided by the boost it gives him, he swims across in a few quick, short strokes, glad to have been close enough to do so. He barrels into Kirk head first, with zero warning, knocking them off course and really, really hoping he's pushed them far enough away not to be crushed. ]

action

[airily]

[ Zaveid has been wandering around the temples mostly for nostalgia's sake; he's not gone through many, but there's been enough that he's starting to get the hang of it. It reminds him of the nonsense he went through with Sorey back home - and, again, he has the nature of his resonance to protect him from most things. No hellions here, right? Just regular old monsters that have trouble seeing a Seraphim.

He hears the ceiling before he sees it and turns his head, frowning when he sees someone standing right under it. A gust of wind is enough to push the body out the way - Sorey would be proud, look at him - before he crosses his arms and leans down. ]

Jeez...

video

[bythewaves]

I wish I could come.

[ Maglor is safely back aboard the ships, but he still sounds like the sea is swimming in his head ]

But I don't think I dare leave the ship again. Hopefully. It sounds as if you are having an adventure or two, though - perhaps later I might persuade you to sit down and tell me of them?

text

[candothat]

[Chekov isn't that keen on exploring the water temples (there is science to do and he has a perfectly rational fear of drowning in spite of the magic underwater breathing, thank you), but Kirk will be receiving periodic texts from him if he dares going too long without checking in.]

Are you alive still???

[universal_charm]

<sub>[ Was that a rib cracking? Possibly. But it's better than a caved in skull and being dead, so he'll take it. Assuming that's what it was, which he can see Bones about later.

He glanced down at the tiny figure that had pushed him out of the way of the pile of rock, water still swirling and bubbling as it all settled. ]</sub>

Thanks for the save.

[universal_charm]

He is glad someone is making use of the file. It had felt a bit like writing a report, but he had more fun with it - and it certainly felt more useful than the normal ones he wrote, because god knew what the admiralty thought of half the things he wrote and did. Well, that wasn't quite true - he knew what at least a couple of them thought.

Kirk let out a blast of bubbles in an aquatic shout as he was pulled back, the rush of displaced water forcing him back faster as the ceiling came down. He knocked back into a wall, for a moment seeing stars and his breath knocked from him, sinking down to the floor.

"Tyrion?" he asked, because that was the simplest question of the moment.

[universal_charm]

<sub>[ He is not failing the puzzle Fenris, he simply hasn't solved it yet, gosh.

Kirk cried out in surprise when Fenris suddenly tackled him. Instinctually his arms wrapped around Fenris' shoulders, trying to look over him at what was the cause - which was obviously apparent as they were pushed faster from displaced water with the ceiling coming down.

They hit a nearby pillar and sank, Kirk panting and keeping hold of Fenris as the water settled. ]</sub>

Holy shit...

[universal_charm]

<sub>[ And the water one was still the worst, Zaveid. I mean, you know, if Kirk had been there for that he would have said that. Totally would have.

As it is he feels himself being pushed, and while he doesn't fight it, he does wonder about it - and then the roof comes down. Oh. He cocked his head, hearing a voice nearby, glancing around through the waters. It was hard to tell anything with the currents still swirling and settling from the displacement, but... ]</sub>

Is someone there? Uh - thanks for the save!

[universal_charm]

_{[ Yes, good, you stay there. They don't need to be having to mount a search and rescue. ]}

Of course you can, Maglor. Promise to compose an epic tale of them?

[universal_charm]

_{[ He glanced down, having been working on a puzzle and was nearly done. ]}

Yes, I'm still alive. Working on a numerical puzzle, actually. Want to help with some math?

[candothat]

I always want to help with math

What is the puzzle??

[universal_charm]

_{[ Kirk sends him a picture - the puzzle is figuring out a mathematical sequence for lighting specific stones. ]}

I've got it about halfway figured out, but the last half is coming slower. I'm losing the pattern.

[bythewaves]

[ He will do his best! ]

Most definitely! One of great heroism and epic battles, eh? Make sure you do not leave out any details!

[girlverine]

[Broken ribs weren't a problem when you had a healing factor. Really, Kirk, just evolve faster! Either way, Laura shifted off of him once they were out of danger, letting herself float back up a bit and away, her gaze checking to see if he was injured before turning to look at the collapsed room. Huh.]

Sure.

[She said in response, as she swiveled back to him.]

You are here alone?

[airily]

[ Zaveid looks from the human to the roof and shakes his head, wondering about what sort of people come through here without him being around to save their asses. At least this one's alright and he'll be sure to make sure that Sorey's aware of it, to get him some brownie points with his Shepherd.

Then the questions come and he turns, looking down at him before he rushes down with a gust of wind. It's obvious that whoever this is they can't see him, but... He's getting used to it. Not everyone has the right level of resonance, even here on the fleet. ]

You're welcome. Name's Zaveid.

[ Just in case. ]

[wolfuncaged]

[Fenris turns his head, muscles tense, checking the danger had truly passed. When he realises it has, he turns back to Kirk, still catching his breath. The lyrium flickers, then fades. ]

That could have ended rather messily.

[candothat]

[Aha! Chekov might be feeling grossly inadequate in most areas (they should probably talk), but math puzzles, he can do. He sends back an answer in the form of a string of digits along with]

?

[tallasaking]

"Hello, Jim. I see you're playing with falling walls."

Was Tyrion's dry response, before he leaned forward from the doorway to look at the rubble left behind. He shook his head a little, then swam back to where Jim was.

"Have you been hurt?"

[universal_charm]

He shook his head and touched the back, but that wouldn't have shown him much since blood would have just dissolved into the water. Either way, he didn't feel hurt beyond a bit of bruising, which when compared to what it could have been was a fine trade.

"Nothing I can't recover from," he assured him, letting the water take his weight and float himself back upright. "Thanks for the save, by the way. When did you get a grappling hook?"

[universal_charm]

<sub>[ Yes, yes they should. Lord knows he's had enough practice at getting Winn to build his confidence and he probably started at a much lower level than Chekov. Maybe.

The answer is slow in coming, if only because Kirk was busy applying Chekov's answer to the tiles. ]</sub>

Nice, it worked! I'm through to the next room!

[universal_charm]

_{[ He doesn't let go, out of an instinct to protect perhaps, or because his brain was still catching up after getting knocked back so hard. Main systems back online, still working on the secondary. ]}

I dare say that's an understatement.

_{[ He gave Fenris a pat on the back. ]}

Thanks for the save. You're okay?

[universal_charm]

_{[ Look, he can save his own ass and has plenty of times, thank you very much. He has saved many asses that were not his own, but it's not like everyone's on the look out for falling ceilings! So far the temples hadn't presented that sort of danger and he's not a ruins fanatic like a certain Shepherd. ]}

Thanks again, Zaveid.

_{[ He glances around, obviously looking for him but not seeing him. ]}

Are you a native?

_{[ He hadn't heard anything about the natives being able to camouflage. ]}

[universal_charm]

_{[ Look, he has super soldier blood in him, but he's not quite Khan's level, and definitely not your level, Laura. Give a guy a break. He wasn't hurt save for some bruising, and that wasn't anything to worry about. It would vanish by the morning. ]}

Yeah. I meant to just poke at the first puzzle, but once I got on a roll...

_{[ He flashed a sheepish smile and shrugged. ]}