the power of friendship.

[adelicateflame]

The Caves of the Arimoi are an extensive network of caverns, winding through the earth. Who maintains the torches which light each passage with a dim and flickering luminescence? Who placed here these treasure chest, filled with artifacts both ancient and obscure? What is it even doing here, as it is clearly not part of the Queen's domain? Nobody knows, or at least nobody is answering. But here it is nonetheless, and it is both ancient and strangely beautiful.

You are not alone in these caves, however. Echidna's children lurk, jealously guarding treasures and preying on unprepared explorers. Here a woman with the lower boidy of a dragon lurks, vicious teeth dripping with venom. There, a formless, shapeshiting mass strikes out with its terrible barbed whip. There, hydras and chimaerae patrol, and in some places the beautiful woman you stumble across may not be what she seems...

How are you supposed to make nice with creatures like these? That's up to you to figure out.

[ooc: A more detailed description of the Caves and Monsters can be found on the setting page. We will be tagging into threads with NPC monsters, if you have a specific monster you would like to encounter please leave a note in your thread.]

Comments

[manymasked]

Minako isn't buying that for a minute, but she's not going to pry too much, at least not yet.

"Do you need a hand up?" She straightens up, offering a hand to Xion.

[mnementomori]

"Th...thanks." She takes it gratefully, feeling her face burning. She can't be troubling people with her own worries at a time like this! The Gardens are in trouble.

"Hey...Minako...were you here when the caves first appeared. Do you remember it...?"

[manymasked]

Minako frowns, trying to recall. "I don't think I was, no. Or maybe that was one of the times that I was lost in the Wild Places for longer than I thought. What happened?"

[mnementomori]

"Well, there are...creatures inside. Kind of like the ones that came through that portal...and some of them would attack you if you went down there. So I think that's why...that 'Echidna' is angry. Because we fought them. And that's what we have to apologize for."

She clutches her hands together tightly against her chest.

"But because she was mad, that time, she...turned us into monsters...what if that happens again?"

[manymasked]

Minako puts a tentative hand on Xion's shoulder.

"That sounds like it must have been very upsetting. I don't think anyone could blame you for not wanting to go in there again, after an experience like that."

[mnementomori]

"But it's my..." She doesn't shy away from the touch--she's grateful for it, despite not really knowing how to express that. "It's our...the ones who disturbed them...it's our fault, so we should fix things. I-I can't be a coward."