The leftward path that led to the more traditional section of the onsen presented a small landing before the branching stairs descended to the three main pools – beyond, Amy could get a partial glimpse of the relaxation areas beyond, but a haze of steam obscured most of what could be see from here, and even that was mostly blocked by low semi-circular walls that offered pockets of privacy and seclusion throughout the area, with slightly taller divides further marking off the three primary divisions. Between the landing and the pools, however, the party could see that each stairway passed down through neat enclosed rooms made of similar natural materials to the rest of the onsen's decor. Their guide hesitated, a flustered, fraught expression warring on her features.
Ah... I do apologise, ma'am, truly but, ah... Our Traditional Onsen is further divided into sections, you see.” She gestured with a hurried hand to each of the stairs in turn.
“For those presenting masculine forms, feminine forms, and the largest area, mixed and open to all. The situation is in—” As she pointed towards the mixed onsen, shouting and clamour could be heard coming from that direction and the caretaker winced.
“O-only, ma'am, I'm sorry, but I have to ask you to fully disrobe before passing beyond the change area. I must insist that all obey the rules of the Onsen, please, ma'am, I'm sorry, it's my job.” As the sounds of disquiet rose, the caretaker looked pleading to Amy with an apologetic bow of her head, then glanced nervously towards Sakura.
“If you or the young miss aren't comfortable with her going down there as well, I can keep the little one safe here for you, I promise, only... please hurry, before it gets any more out of hand!”Despite the flustered caretaker's insistence, Amy probably still had some options here – there seemed to be little that would actually stop her from simply barging in, regardless of the rules of conduct, especially since the caretaker had mentioned more than once that none of the staff or clients were navis suited for conflict... though at the same time, if the situation was already in need of diffusing, it might not be a good start to rush in breaking rules – potentially even breaking more rules than any viruses present, considering that most weren't really the clothing-wearing types to begin with.
Regardless of how Amy decided to proceed, if she did, she'd find the enclosed change area to be small and mostly perfunctory – smooth tiles, and a small handful of digital storage lockers, though not very many; it was probably safe to presume that most navis generally didn't have any need for physical storage for their clothes, after all. The normal fixtures of a traditional onsen pre-bathing area were all present for Amy to avail herself of if she felt so inclined before passing through to the main spring beyond.
Beyond, the steam was a drifting mist, though nowhere near dense enough to properly hide in or even obscure vision, and it would have been a soothing atmosphere is not for the increasing sounds of shouting and panic ahead.
The mixed traditional onsen was comprised of a wide central pool that started shallow at the edge of the tiles, but swiftly became deeper towards the centre, to allow for programs of different heights to find comfortable places to sit and relax. A handful of narrower channels – perhaps a half dozen – fanned out in slightly curving arcs from the main pool, set at regular intervals. Each curved away towards more secluded and private bathing pools, that each in turn were ringed by low curved walls about two feet high, providing some small additional cover from the main pool.
Taller walls, each about six feet high, separated this area from the other two traditional pools, to either side, but there were enough problems to worry about here and now. The Onsen was, if not packed, nevertheless moderately busy. At first glance, Amy wold be able to see more than a dozen other programs of various shapes, sizes and body-types about the spring; here there were several that clearly didn't have anything approaching a humanoid design, but net norms being what they were, most were some variation on human-like, a mix of masculine and feminine forms. Like it or not, this was something Amy had no trouble perceiving, since, at the moment, very few of the navis present were taking the situation sitting down.
Towards the back centre of the area, a section of the pool seemed to house something of a control system, where fresh water flowed in and a console for adjusting small elements of the temperature or atmosphere. There were probably proper controls for actually running the Onsen elsewhere – these ones looked to be just the simpler ones that public clients could access with limited freedom. The problem here was that the steam and mist around the controls was not only particularly dense, but particularly agitated as well. Within the clouds, Amy cold just make out the two shapes, shifting and moving with deliberate life, even though they were just denser patches of steam. Hints of curious and excited expression occasionally showed through in the condensed mist shapes as they curled and drifted around the controls and the water inlet, seemingly revelling in the heat of it and gradually making it hotter and hotter.
Around them, a handful of other navis were standing on the edge of the tiles, out of the water, muttering and talking to each other with a sound of frustration while they tried to get close to the controls, with no luck – they seemed hesitant to get close to the seemingly animate wisps of steam, who in turn turned to face them with warning hisses any time any navi attempted to reach the controls. The two most eager to act, amongst the small crowd of navis clustered about, were a blocky navi with a body that looked more like a centaur made of cinder bricks; four thick limbs and large, blunt feet. Their upper body became more serpentine and narrow - a single flexible, extension with a compact head that clustered most of the features of normal face all into a single narrow cone point. The upper body also had two snake-like arms that were long and had no obvious joints in them, more resembling tendrils or tentacles. They continuously tried to reposition to somewhere where one of their arms might reach a control unnoticed by the steam-beings, in between making side comments to a second navi who was trying to act as flank to their efforts on the other side. She was more humanoid, designed to be what some might call unfairly eye-catching and attractive with a slender and lithe build, with just the ideal average amount of curve and roundness is all of the traditionally desirable locations. Her skin was a dark hazel colour, with hair that was a bright, vibrant blue falling about her neck and shoulders – though the grooming lower down her body showed that this wasn't her natural hair colour.
A short way off, to one side, more of the clients were having a different issue – potentially less dangerous, but with no less shouting about it. One of the side channels appeared to be thick with dark, bubbling mud. It filled the side pool it came from and was slowly spreading out in a widening fan across the central pool as well. Standing near the contaminated pool, three navis were debating with each other; one stood at about six feet, with a toned form, a somewhat etched and well defined chest and light olive skin tone was coated in thick brown mud up to his waist, and had clearly at some point put a very muddy hand to his face, and run it through his otherwise rich black hair. He was in the middle of making an exasperated gesture towards the muddy pool while talking to the second male navi. This one was about five foot tall and also covered in mud to the same height, though this meant it nearly reached his chest. Where he wasn't coated in mud, he bore an orange pattern of diamond-shaped scales. Spined ridges ran down his back and became a thin, sinuous tail that was presently coiled comfortingly around the waist third navi standing between them, who, rather than argue was simply looking on at the mess with an expression of deep disappointment. She stood only about four foot tall, with a very curving and bountiful feminine figure, marred by the mud coating that went all the way up to the top of her rather ample-for-her-size bosom.
Within the side pool, Amy could catch occasional glimpses of two fish-like viruses that seemed to be very happy to enjoy the mud they were making, and were merely amused by other navis' failed attempts to grab or wrangle them out of the spring. All around these two groups, other navis watched on, or called for something to be done in a growing chorus of irritation. Beyond them, there were still quite a few others who were doing their best not to be a part of this whole situation and just keep to themselves in various other places about the spring.
-=Not The Usual Clients=-MudfeeshMudfeesh (Mudfeesh)
This virus looks like a sausage shaped fish with a brown underbelly, a blue/green/red/black back (depending on the version) with a wavy dorsal fin, a mouth that constantly gasps for air, beady little eyes and a large flat tail that it uses to propel itself. It moves by flopping around very erratically, granting the family a passive dodge effect.
Area: Yoka, Okuden Valley, Beach, Yumland
HP: 60
Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Wood + Impact + Slow
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: It leaps at its target, attempting to slam into it with its slimy belly.
Element: Wood
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): MudFlop1, Zenny
Special: One passive dodge per turn.
-Creates mud terrain where it moves. A: 60Hp [Mud][South-Western Pool]
MudfeeshMudfeesh (Mudfeesh)
This virus looks like a sausage shaped fish with a brown underbelly, a blue/green/red/black back (depending on the version) with a wavy dorsal fin, a mouth that constantly gasps for air, beady little eyes and a large flat tail that it uses to propel itself. It moves by flopping around very erratically, granting the family a passive dodge effect.
Area: Yoka, Okuden Valley, Beach, Yumland
HP: 60
Attack Damage/Effect: 15 Wood + Impact + Slow
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: It leaps at its target, attempting to slam into it with its slimy belly.
Element: Wood
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): MudFlop1, Zenny
Special: One passive dodge per turn.
-Creates mud terrain where it moves. B: 60Hp [Mud][South-Western Pool]
MistyMisty (Misty)
Misty are essentially blobs of scalding hot steam, with no true form. They use this to their advantage, employing as many ways to cover their victims as the imagination can dream up...and maybe more. Though they are Aqua type viruses, their bodies are so hot they can burn virtually anything just by touching it.
Area: Yoka
HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Aqua + Impact + Burn(5)
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Attempts to touch and scald an enemy in any one of a myriad of ways.
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): MistConvergence1, Zenny
Special: MistBody: Immune to Aqua attacks. If anyone besides another Misty touches this virus without some form of protection (active chip attack, shield, etc.), they are inflicted with Burn(5) status.
Special: Burn(5): Deals 5 Fire damage per action to the victim starting the turn after this attack hits. This effect stacks with other timed damage effects, including other Burn effects. Can be cured with Status Cure. A: 100Hp [Normal][Southern central section]
MistyMisty (Misty)
Misty are essentially blobs of scalding hot steam, with no true form. They use this to their advantage, employing as many ways to cover their victims as the imagination can dream up...and maybe more. Though they are Aqua type viruses, their bodies are so hot they can burn virtually anything just by touching it.
Area: Yoka
HP: 100
Attack Damage/Effect: 20 Aqua + Impact + Burn(5)
Attack Accuracy: B
Attack Description: Attempts to touch and scald an enemy in any one of a myriad of ways.
Element: Aqua
Possible Rewards (Per Virus): MistConvergence1, Zenny
Special: MistBody: Immune to Aqua attacks. If anyone besides another Misty touches this virus without some form of protection (active chip attack, shield, etc.), they are inflicted with Burn(5) status.
Special: Burn(5): Deals 5 Fire damage per action to the victim starting the turn after this attack hits. This effect stacks with other timed damage effects, including other Burn effects. Can be cured with Status Cure. B: 100Hp [Onsen][Southern central section]
-=Not Her Usual Problem=-Amity.EXE: 230Hp [Normal][Northern end of the are, near the entrance to the spring]
Liliana.SP: 80Hp [Equipped to Amity]
-=Not Sure What's Going On=-Centaur-Brick Navi: [Normal][Near the southern controls]
Unfairly Attractive Navi: [Onsen][Near the southern controls]
Handsome Muddy Navi: [Normal][Near the Muddy side-pool]
Short Muddy Navi: [Normal][Near the Muddy side-pool]
Scaled Muddy Navi: [Normal][Near the Muddy side-pool]
Other Navis: ??? [Varies][There are numerous other navis present – feel free to define your own NPCs to talk to if you'd like to!]
-=Terrain=- 60%
Onsen- Aqua Elementals gain 3 HP/action partially or fully submerged, Non-Aqua Elementals only when partially submerged.
- If any Sea Terrain exists in an adjacent panel, Onsen panels will change to Sea Terrain, except in Yoka (Sea will convert to Onsen).
- Terrain changes between Sea and Onsen do not inflict damage upon submerged entities, nor do they eject submerged entities to the surface.
- Elec attacks: +100% Source Damage.
- PanelShot: Imbue Aqua + Blast1 Blind.
[Large central pool, about four feet deep at the centre, but shallow around the edges. Five out of six side pools spaced equidistant around the central pool, connected by water channels broad enough for a single navi to wade/swim through]
30%
Normal [Anywhere not in the water is smooth, slightly slick tiled flooring]
10%
Mud- Non-Wood Elementals get -10% Evasion penalty and reduced movement speed, 25% (+/-25% RP) chance to fall or get stuck (1 action to get free).
- Automatically triggers Aqua Boost for appropriate chip attacks.
- Wood attacks: Change terrain hit to Soil.
- PanelShot: Imbue Wood + Slow1.
[South-Western of the six side pools, including the channel that connects it and a small spreading semi-circle of mud at the edge of the main pool where it emerges]
Layout: Area is a broad central pool, surrounded by six smaller pools, spaced evenly around the main one. Each side pool is connected by a water channel that a navi could wade or swim though if they wanted. At the far south side, a public access control system for adjusting minor elements of the Onsen is set at the edge of the pool. Each small pool has a low wall half encircling it, to screen it slightly from the central pool. These walls are low, only a couple of feet high; they'll hide a person sitting in the pool, but not someone who stands up, or who stands or sits on the tiles out of the water. A six foot wall to the west separates the mixed traditional onsen from the feminine traditional onsen, while a similar wall on to the east separates it from the masculine traditional onsen. Sounds of surprise and curiosity are also drifting over these walls as others hear the sounds of a ruckus.
-=Objects=-Onsen Control Unit: 80Hp [Southern central area, at the edge of the main pool]
-=Encounter 2, Resolve!=-
