[DINE] The Den of Deception

[kwando1313]

There... Really wasn't much here, was there.

"Uh... I don't know about you, but I really don't think there's anything else here. Let's... Go some place else."

Mizuki moves back to the treasure room.

[DWaM]

I scratched the back of my head. Somehow, despite it only being a few minutes, it felt as if an eternity had passed. What was I doing? It felt ever since I'd regained Me-Me, my sense of direction and drive had completely worn off. "No." I said. "This won't do. This won't do at all!" I proclaimed, squeezing my fist. We were going to solve this riddle and beat this game. No matter how tough or pointless it might be. Even all this wandering around, even though it'd turned up nothing, was still something we would've needed to do at one point or another.

I noticed Mizuki leaving the room. That's right. The best course of action was going to the treasure room. Although, given that we'd found nothing the first time around, there was a high chance we would also meet a dead end until we've progressed further. Regardless, it was worth a shot. "Yuk-- Mizuki! Wait up!" I said, following her to the treasure room.

[Reverie]

Edwam was right - despite their high hopes, nothing of value seemed to be waiting for them in this room. The treasure room, however... that name held a little more promise. Not to mention that she'd risk getting split from the group if she didn't tag along.

She turned to the door, making a mental note to return here later. Having their efforts to find this room be in vain would be quite a shame.

Hunt for treasure.

[Bad Player]

The treasure room is the same as when the group last left it.

[kwando1313]

How did that riddle go again...?

"It shall begin with a bang; I wonder who will win."

That... That explosion earlier must have been the bang, right?

"I follow the Arbiter as he sums my good deeds and sin."

So... Who could this Arbiter be?

Mizuki looked around the room. Not much had changed. But... It wasn't like she really gave the room itself a very thorough viewing after... Well... The weirdness that Edwam and Haru went through. (She hoped that the weirdness had ceased at this point as well.)

So Mizuki decided to examine the scale on the Jackal statue. After all, that was used to balance things, no?

[DWaM]

"It's not a real scale, I'd already checked. But it might be worth checking if it could be removed..." I pointed out, examining the weapons in the armor knights' hands.

[Reverie]

Meanwhile, Haru thought back to their "riddle."

"It shall begin with a bang; I wonder who will win.
I follow the Arbiter as he sums my good deeds and sin.
Finally, he decides; will I fall down to Hades below?
Or spring forth like a Phoenix in the morning glow?"

The final two lines stuck out to her. "Fall" and "spring," both in succession - two seasons.

She called out to the others, holding up her copy of the riddle to indicate what she'd found.

"Take a look at these last two lines. 'Spring' and 'Fall'. Those... have something in common, don't they?" She said, reading through the other two lines.

"And uh, here. 'Win' and 'Sum' for Winter and Summer." It was a bit of a stretch, but with 'Spring' and 'Fall' already accounted for, it was hard for her to dismiss it as a coincidence.

"They're not in order, though... Winter, Summer, Fall, and Spring. Hmmm..."

Awaiting the others' responses, she opened the second casket - the one under the stag's head.

[Bad Player]

The scale is a simple balance scale, with two platforms suspended from a beam with a fulcrum in the center. Or at least, that's what it represents; it's all connected and made of the same material as the statue, so it can't move and isn't functional.

After further examination, you suspect the weapons are purely ornamental. The crossbow doesn't seem to be functional, the axe and sword are dull, and, as previously mentioned, the bow isn't strung.

Haru opens the second casket, revealing layers upon layers of spikes pointing out from both the casket and the lid.

[DWaM]

"Okay, I gotta know Me-Me... what's the thing with, like, dramatically opening coffins? Is it really as cool as it looks? Can I try it?" I said, scratching the back of my head. "...Anyway, good idea about the seasons, I'd say. The latter two are a stretch, but we might find something in the other rooms relating to it, so I it's something to keep in mind.

I examined the cases. Not what's in them - rather, I tried paying attention to the way they were arranged. Was there something of note?

[kwando1313]

Huh. That... was unfortunately boring.

Mizuki examines the casket under the doe's head.

[Bad Player]

You can't find any sort of pattern in the arrangement of the cases, and they don't seem to form a letter or symbol that you recognize. They twist and turn, forming a circuitous route through the cases. The only thing you can come up with is perhaps they were arranged to create the greatest possible fire hazard.

The top of the casket lid has the design of a woman's face, while the body has an etched design that reminds you of the flowing folds of a robe. It is currently open, revealing layers upon layers of spikes pointing out from both the casket and the lid

[kwando1313]

Mizuki examines the spikes.

[Bad Player]

They look sharp. And spiky.

[kwando1313]

Mizuki attempts to see if anything else is in the coffin.

[Reverie]

Haru inspects the suits of armor, including through the space for the eyes.