Heating Up - RPLOG
Participants
Date
7/11/477
Log
The Airship came in low to the Expedition grounds, the 'fort' now sporting walls almost as tall and thick as a castles, though made of the strong wood of the local trees it appears. In the center of the camp, sit two groups of twenty mercenaries each, including Three Cannons and smaller heavy weapons. Infront of the two groups, stands Varlin Blackback, his spectacles down upon the edge of his nose, and sword at his side.
"We have been quiet these past few days, I will -not- accept this as coincidence men. You will man the walls as if this were our first night here, watching for any sound of movement lest you and the man next to you die. Once I have the Freeswords ready, I shall begin an investigation, while I am out Lieutenant Miller is in charge. You will treat his orders as my own lest I throw you outside of the gate to fend for yourselves. We've come to far to fail our country now."
Cassidy smooths down her black skirt as she makes her way off the airship once it has landed, a little bounce in her step and her grimoire in her arms. "Hello! I hear things have been odd over here, lately!" She calls out, adjusting her tophat as she approaches Varlin, casting a glance over her shoulder to make sure she hadn't left others behind.
"Sounds like a nice guy." Rainer remarks of their host-slash-employer, loitering on the deck near the gangplank and leaving Cassidy and Natska to take the lead while he tries to smooth out his wind-whipped coat. "I suddenly have a new appreciation for just how easy going Cass and Angus are as leaders, heh."
"Lord Varlin," Natska greets, giving the skunk a small curtsey; the jaguar in a blue-and-black dress, with her own bronze-bound tome in her hand. "We are here."
Varlin glances over to the freeswords as he gives a nod, motioning to a rather adorable clever folk squirrel whom hops into the Skunk's place and begins to issue his orders to the men. The skunk himself turning and moving to look over the three with a gentle sigh.
"Three only? Hmmm... Perhaps it is for the best, easier to get through the thicker woods. But yes, I do thank you for coming. It appears whatever we had managed in that tunnel last time, has scared off the beasts perhaps... I've not seen a single movement, even from the smaller vermin out there, and none have even tried to challange our wall again. As you can imagine, given that when we landed -everything- was trying to kill us, this is rather... worrisome. That's where you will come in."
The skunk giving a nod as he motions the group to follow while walking to the gates. "We'll leave out, and check a local disturbance one of the air ships reported farther in the forests. The canopy is too thick for them to see, and we've not the tools at our disposal to just have them rope down people to the site. I trust there is an understanding of this all?"
Cassidy nods slowly and hums. "I think so, yes. Though it's entirely possible they've been scared off by the commotion in the cave. Or have taken the hint that you won't be budged so easily, and are here to stay. Either way, I will help!"
Rainer hustles down the gangway to catch up when the group begins moving towards the gate, ears cupped towards the Blackback and a quizzical expression growing on his face. "What, you don't really think all the local beasties are amassing into a single army to take your little fort down, or something, do you?" He chuffs and tosses grins to Cassidy and Natska, evidently just assuming that they'll have a similar mindset of 'dis guy be craycray yo.' "Critters don't work that way."
Natska gives Rainer a nod of her head, then looks back to Varlin. "It never hurts to scout and see what is going on, though. I am certainly ready to go. Maybe we have impressed the wild creatures with our strength and ferocity and they will leave us alone now, or maybe distrubing the spider nest has caused them to move and even now they are regrouping."
"I don't know -what- it is. But I do not enjoy taking gambles, and so if it is just vermin scurrying away than so be it. But if it is anything more severe I wish to know... Because I'll be damned, if from the instance we touched unto the ground, this land didn't try to purge us out." Varlin says slowly as he gives a low knock on the door, leeting the large wooden gates part before them as he steps out into the hastily made field between them and the forest. "Come then, it shouldn't be a long treck, and I will answer what I can."
Cassidy falls into step at Natska's side as she sets off after Varlin, nodding. "Well. We will find out, yes. And there are odd things out here, Rainer. Very odd things indeed. And spirits, too, so it's hard to say just what is going on."
Rainer puts up his hands in a shrug. "Hey, round trip on an airship and an afternoon just wandering aimlessly in the woods instead of running drills in the courtyard, I'm not going to complain."
Natska quietly snickers. "I know, right, Rainer? And it pays, too," she adds. She gives Cassidy a happy smile, walking next to the fennec as they follow Varlin, and a chilly wind springs up to tamely swirl around the small group. "We may only be three, sir, but we are no slouches."
Varlin givs a slight nod to Natska as he leads the way for the group, taking them into the winding woods with movements almost a second nature to him as he dashes between and amidst the trees. The group itself ends up making good time, approaching a slightly more heated part of the forest, where the smell of smoke fills the air and not a sound can be heard. The heavy foilage blocking most of the view to what is up ahead, but from that they can see is that they're close to the side of one of the mountains steeper cliffs.
Cassidy nods at natska's words. "Right. We can handle ourselves!" She sniffs at the air and makes a little face behind her mask at the stench of smoke, though, ears twitching. "Hrm... Fire? Is... A settlement? A crash? Or something else?"
"I thought we were scouting, not racing!" Rainer blurts out, dismayed when the skunk bolts into the undergrowth. Matching pace best he can, the normally agile and graceful mutt still ends up catching his face on low-hanging branches on more than one occasion, and he's still bringing up the rear when they stop, promptly hunching over and planting his hands on his knees as a brace, huffing and panting ... and spits out a couple coloured leaves. "Can't be... we'd have seen the smoke on the fly in, right?... 'Less it just started..."
Natska nods her head. "I am sure if there was already a settlement up here, Varlin would not had needed to make his own. And a crash would have distrubed the canopy... it must be something else." She frowns, and her breeze stills as she creeps closer.
Varlin frowns as he draws his sword, the once bright metal having been scoured and dirty to prevent those flashes of light as he makes his way to the edge of the canopy and pushes a few of the large leaves near the bottom to the side. Allowing anyone from the group to drop down and look inside, with the safety of the shade to hide from being spotted.
Upon the other side, in a group of three stand creatures that resemble a Lizard Being, with smoldering eyes and more distinctly draconoid heads. Each the size of a regular being, and clutching crude pick axes and shovels as they look around, a hole in the side of the cliff signalling where they had come from most likely, the group most likely having stumbled upon them just as they had finished working.
The smell of smoke now was thick in the air, and it was easy to see the whisps of it flowing out from below their scales as they seem to silently debate with each other, before a low rumble from inside of the cave causes them to jump as a large creature emerges. This beast is easily Twice the size of a standard being, and is almost a spitting image of a dragon form the creators granted some of the beings. It's head is wreathed in a multitude of wicked black horns, with obsydian teeth protruding out from it's mouth as well. Burning eyes sweeping the area and it's 'charges' as it clutches unto a crude whip most likely used for disciplining those below it.
Cassidy helps herself to the opening provided by Varlin and tilts her head at the sight presented. "Would you look at that," she says, voice barely above a whisper to her companions. "That... Is not a good sight at all. Those aren't beasts. What did we stumble into last time...?"
"I don't know, I wasn't here last time. There was a last time?" Rainer matches the fennec's whisper, as he slips in beside her and peers out at the scaley trio, contorting his expression at the sight. "How're they doing that? ...oh, dang." Must have just spotted The Big One. "So, uh... y'think they're the ones scarin' all the critters away?"
"Perhaps..." Natska replies. "Perhaps. Do you think they are another type of the Lost?" she asks, watching the group below. "Should we approach them?"
Varlin looks down to the freeswords, than ducks his head to take a peek before straightening his posture and sighing. "Of course. Of course, it -has- to be something new." The noble skunk gripping his sword tightly before looking down at the group once more. "If they are civilized, slightly at least, than I leave the choice to you all. We can try to make contact, fight them, or just turn tail. I made the calls last time, and it caused that -thing- to get out." His voice a hushed whisper as he speaks to them.
On the other side, one of the smaller creatures seems to stand up to the draconoid one, brandishing it's pick axe as it barks and hisses in a gutteral manner that seems rather... Accussing. All too quickly though, it's tyraid is cut short as the Dragon strikes out at it, clawing across it's face before tossing it at the foot of it's friends before cracking it's whip as it growls and starts to motion at the side of the mountain, as if telling them to get back to work.
Cassidy gives a soft huff and shakes her head. "As much as I don't think it will work, we should attempt diplomacy. If it doesn't work, we flee or engage, but we'll have established a precedent. If anyone makes the first sign of aggression, it won't be us."
Rainer furrows his brow after the little kerfluffle between the savages has concluded. "I guess we gotta at least try." He looks up to Natska, over to Varlin, and finally to Cassidy, "If just one of us goes out there it shouldn't spook them... since they'll have the numbers advantage, and all. And if it goes bad, the rest are here in the wings ready to spring in and help, eh?" He pauses to again cast his gaze around the other three, ending on Cassidy again. "And, y'know, might as well be me. 'Cuz if we're talking expendability..." The pup leaves the thought unfinished and just grins.
Natska giggles. She gives Rainer a pat on the shoulder, and then the jaguar takes a leap. She pushes herself with a gust of air magic, her swirling chill wind wrapping around her again as she gently guides herself to land near - but out of reach of - the diggers and the dragon. "Hello," she calls as she lands, tone cheerful.
The arrival of Natska spooks the three lesser ones it seem, whom almost drop their tools, before pointing them at her as they hiss and bark. The big one however takes the surprise in stride, and cracks his whip not far infront of her as he lets out a loud rawr as if challanging her! The three take that moment then to begin composing themselves as they walk slowly to try and surround her as they appear waiting to see what she does next almost, the dragon almost looking ready for her to either fight or take a knee...
Varlin on the other side grimaces and grits his teeth as he looks over the scene, sword at the ready as he whispers. "Get ready..."
Cassidy wasn't about to let Natska go it alone! As soon as she moves, Cassidy follows suit, touching down next to the jaguar with a bit of ari magic of her own. "They probably don't speak our language. Let us try... Pictures," she says, as she looks over the odd figures. A bit of kitsune illusion trickery, and she tries to conjure up a little scene of the five of them engaged in 'friendly' activities. Like shaking hands!
"Hh--!" The wolf barely stops himself from blurting out a protest as Natska bursts from their cover, and "Dahg--!" as Cassidy takes off after here, promptly pushing deeper into the brush on the off chance even those little half-cries might draw the attention of these seeming savages, despite what ought to be ample distraction from the two right there in the open. Rainer bites down on his lip as he watches the scene unfold before them, keeping a tight grip on the handle of his sword. "Women." he mutters through his teeth, sparing a momentary glance towards the Blackback. "Am I right?"
Natska raises her eyebrows at the snarling dragon, and her expression turns chilly. Cold, even, as the temperature around the jaguar plummets as a number of equations spring to mind. She doesn't strike, though, glancing over at Cassidy as the fennec tries to communicate and silently lending her her presence.
"Women, men, they all do strange things lad." Varlin says as he brandishes his sword for a moment. "Get ready for when the savages act up again---" The Noble skunk not finishing his words, as shortly after Cassidy conjures up the illusion the Draconoid one seems almost -infuriated- at it, reaching out to try and grab unto Natska as he lets out another mix of a bark and a hiss in one!
Cassidy narrows her eyes as one of the creatures reaches for Natska, tightening her grip around the tome. "Enough of that. We are not here to fight you." But it does give her an idea if things end up going completely south. One hand starts to drift towards the hilt of her sword, but she does not draw yet.
Rainer starts to lurch forward, pulling forth the first few inches of his blade, stopping just short of coming out of cover when the reptile being's advance is repelled. He bites down hard on his lip again, eyes darting from figure to figure as he again backs away, bouncing aggitatedly on the balls of his feet and shifting his weight back and forth between his sides.
A gust of wind helps propel Natska away from the lunging dragon, and she shakes her head. The jaguar raises her hand and then slams it downwards, directing a heavy gust of wind into the lunging dragon-Being in an attempt to drive it to the ground as she bares her own teeth, projecting her own aura of dominance.
The Dragon is sent to the ground with a loud crash as he snarls, wings flexing behind him. The lizards seem to debate a moment, looking at each other before looking at him, then the two women. Well, it seems to have taken the wind out of their sails at the least! The dragon himself seems to have had enough, taking a deep breath before he sweeps his gaze around the area, a spout of intensly hot flames filling the area where the two women were, and setting fire to the leaves hiding Varlin and Rainer as the skunk flails for a moment from the flames.
Cassidy scrambles out of the way, using her air magic to try to lift herself out of the way of the flames, but not before it catches her cloak. "Bah. So be it." She tosses her cloak down, trying to get it to cover the fire-breathing one's head before dropping down atop it, trying for an aerial kick from above.
"Oh geeze!" So much for their cover. Rainer comes stumbling out into the open, spinning in circles and desperately flailing to ward away the burning foliage... long after he's clear of it. When the pup finally realizes he's clear of that danger he lowers his arms and opens his eyes to find a brawl erupting and offers an awkward grin and a wave, "Er, how's it going... everyone?"
Natska launches herself up through the air again, her air math swirling around her to deflect the flames. As she lands, she glares at the dragon and drops the proverbial hammer - a tightly-controlled ice storm erupts around the dragon with blinding snow (that Natska's allies can see through), slashing shards of ice (that carefully swirl around Cassidy), and bitter, bitter draining cold clinging to the dragon-Being. "Give up already."
And down like a ton of bricks goes the Dragon as Natska and Cassidy combine their efforts, a hiss of steam rising from him from the ice attack, but he's still alive! Aparantly just reheating himself and trying to bring himself up to strike back, but sadly for himself he's down for right now! Rainer however, gets the short end of the stick as he bursts out... The Lizards looking between each other, with a knowing look of what will happen if they dont fight before they charge at him! The lead Lizard's pick axe reaching out to try and pierce into him!
Cassidy closes her eyes for a moment and takes to the skies again, higher up. To go with Natska's ice, she begins to run over the equations for something vicious herself, but it's not ready yet! Fortunately, she should be high enough up to keep her out of the fray.
Rainer's eyes go wide as his greeting is met with swinging pointy bits. "Woah nelly!" Narrowly ducking to the side and around the offending lizardman, in the process unclipping the sword from his belt, scabbard and all, and comes out swinging it broad-side like a bat at the back of the scaled savage's head.
Natska continues focusing her Fimbulwinter on the dragon, although when the lizards charge Rainer it pulls Natska's attention towards them. She gestures and works more math, sending a blast of icy wind at the lizard-things to slow them down.
The fire that rains down upon the lizards seems to mostly harm them from Impact if anything, the flames merely being soaked up by them to help strength themselves... That is until Natska's spell comes forth, the frigid aid blasting and freezing two of the three, the third shivering for a moment before Rainer's sword smacks into his head and he comes crumpling down. The lizards and dragon all but incapacitated for the moment the group is left with a moment to breathe as Varlin motions to them. "Come on! We've seen what is out here, we don't want to get caught by more if they come around!" The Noble skunk looking rather rightfully worried as he glances to the forest around them.
Cassidy drops to the ground again, folding her arms and frowning. "Yes, perhaps it would be best if we... Got out of here before they come back around. Or more come out. We have... Big things to worry about. We've got angry, sentient creatures on our hands. Rather like the shadow war, don't you think? Hopefully it won't come to war."
Rainer turns one way, then another, then another, always brandishing his swordbat ready to strike out again in defense of himself, but quickly realizes that all of the savages have been taken care of. He huffs, turning his gaze towards the skunk while he reattaches his scabbard to his belt. "Don't you think we ought to try and find out what they're doing out here?"
Natska gives Rainer a nod of her head. "They don't seem terribly frightening," she adds. "And the more information we can gather now, while we have them off guard, the better. They will know they are not alone, now. Grab one of their pickaxes, Rainer, to take back for the scholars to fawn over and let's see what they were digging up."
Varlin frowns and shakes his head before motioning to the downed creatures. "They're more durable than most beings it seems, and they obviously dont speak our language. Short of marching into that tunnel, I doubt we'll find anything currently... And if they were workers only, then chances are they might have actual fighters around that I want to -avoid- currently. So gather what you want and lets go." The noble skunk readying himself for the group to be prepared to depart.
Cassidy snatches up her cloak with a huff and drapes it over her arm. "I like this thing. I'll have to get it remade. We should consult scholars and books, perhaps. See if there's any kind of mention of something like this, however vague it may be. Some kind of historically unexplained signs or something."
Rainer frumps. To heck with this skunk dude. He's not my real father! He's not the boss of me! ...she is. The wolf looks to Cassidy for direction... which turns out to be a mistake as she's got her mind turned to learning and fashion. Women. Am I right? Quick inhale, sighed exhale, he bends over and hefts up the nearest pickaxe, grunting as he discovers it's a mite heavier than he was expecting. "Yeah, well... when they finish their secret tunnel into your fort and jump you in the middle of the night, don't say you couldn't have known it was coming."
"Mmmmhmm..." Natska drawls, the arctic assaults she had been maintaining fading away into a dusting of snow. She brushes her hands off against eachother, then gives the others a nod. "Very well then, Lord Varlin. It is your expedition, after all. Let us depart and mull over this new discovery."
Varlin frowns at Rainer and shakes his head. "They appeared to be digging -out-. Now come along then, let's go." THe Skunk not giving much wait for the group as he turns to make his way back to the camp, leading the group whom follows through the trees of the forest and back to the safety of the expedition camp, seeing them properly paid before the airship arrives for them.
Cassidy peers at Rainer and shrugs. "Not like we have the manpower to fight a whole tunnel full of them right now, anyway. Who knows what they have in there." She rubs at the back of her head and frowns, before giving Natska a pat on the back and following after Varlin. "Nice iceworks!"
Rainer pffts indignantly and mumbles under his breath, "I could take 'em." He begins to follow, but his pace quickly dwindles to a halt, watching after the departing trio until they're into the woods out of sight, then quickly backpedals to the unconscious dragon savage, getting a particular gleam in his eyes as he sizes up those many horns and draws his blade...
Natska practically beams at Cass' praise, then quickly follows after Varlin. "Yes, it's really become... well, almost second nature to me, it seems. Thank you, love."
