The Transporters - RPLOG
Participants
Date
11/11/478
Log
It is a busy day in the market streets of Firmament, beings of all shapes and sizes going about their business. Amidst all the hustle and bustle, in an oasis of calm before a small warehouse waits a little cart, its armadillo driver and Hugo Snowmane. The avuncular lion is having a pleasant conversation with the driver and checks his pocket watch from time to time, his inordinately long tail draped over one elbow. "Load the cargo, Alexander," he says in a basso rumble, "Our escort ought to be here shortly."
Kazel walks up to the cart and takes off her helmet. "Kazel Silverwing, I heard you need an escort? Are you expecting trouble or just as a routine safety measure? And may I ask what the cargo I am guarding is?"
Lyas lopes over to the cart. Ignoring Kazel's presence, he grins up at the armadillo and lion. "Saw you were looking for Freeswords for an escort job?"
Millicent pats her yellow coat down as she approaches the wagon, tail flicking behind her. "I'd like to know what to expect, as well. Not going to make me turn away now or anything, but it helps to be able to anticipate the kind of resistance we'll be facing. Especially if it's going to be an organized resistance."
"I am always expecting trouble, Miss Silverwing," Hugo says, leaning on his ornately decorated cane. The armadillo vanishes momentarily into the shadows of the warehouse and returns a moment later with a large, ursine porter, the two of them carrying a heavy trunk between them to set gently on the small cart.
Hugo waves a hand, his ruby ring glinting in the sunlight. "You will be transporting this," he says, pointing to the box, "It is a particularly rare and delicate bit of equipment, and very important to my business here in Firmament and in Sweetwater in general." The lion paces alongside the cart, watching as his men secure the chest. "I have a number of competitors who would just -Love- to get their hands on it," he continues, "And since this will be the only time we will be moving it, I expect they will try to take it. If and when you bring the package to my representative beyond the pass, safe, sound and untampered with, you will be payed most handsomely for your troubles."
Kazel clicks her tongue and nods. Some piece of equipment that must be. She puts her helmet back on and rolls her shoulders. "We shall be exceptionally careful then." The bat readies her spear and walks up to the front of the cart, ready to head out as soon as the client wants to.
Up until Hugo states definitely that the package is not to be tampered wih, Lyas was inching closer to the cart, trying to get a good look at whatever it might be. He whisks his creeping hands away and puts them behind his back at the lion's words, feeling they may have been aimed more at him than anyone else. "Any chance you'd tell us what's inside?" he inquires politely, instead of outright clambering onto the wagon and investigating.
Millicent slips out of her coat, folding it up and tucking it away into her bag. She still had her armour on under it, so no use getting her coat all torn up in a fight. "Alright! Let's get this show on the road!" She says enthusiastically, adjusting the way her sword sits at her side, stepping up to walk alongside the wagon.
"I suppose you could call it a facilitator," Hugo says, a bit of a northern accent showing through, "That little thing makes sure that all of the other moving parts in my endeavor move smoothly." The lion looks at his watch once more and shuts it with a snap before slipping it back in his pocket. "Get along now," he says, "The sooner you begin, the sooner you are finished. No point in lolligagging." He raises a hand in farewell to the party as Alexander and the Bear porter settle into the driver's seat of the cart and the armadillo whips their sturdy little pony into action. "Remember!" he calls, "Safe and untampered with!"
The wagon moves slowly and without incident through the city and its surrounding countryside. Neither the Armadillo nor the bear are especially forthcoming with conversation as the pass looms ahead.
Kazel eyes the road ahead, spear in head and fully armored in her black plate. The bat is not much one for talking either it would seem, so she remains silent and walks a few meters ahead of the wagon.
Lyas whistles quietly as they walk for a while, but soon tires of the lack of conversation. "Haven't come this way in ages," he comments, idly checking the sword at his hip and various daggers tucked into his clothing. "Ah, well. Good to get some fresh air out of the city." He eyes the armoured bat; they have had words before. "So, I hope you're better suited to fighting than you are to getting by in normal society," he needles her, with little regard to the potential danger in teasing a fully-armed and armoured warrior.
Millicent glances between Lyas and Kazel, brow raised. "Do you two have history?" She asks, tail flicking behind her as she walks. "Hopefully it's not bad history. Don't need two people going at each other in a fight," she says, glancing around with a frown. "Besides, I think we're going to be having company soon. Keep your heads down and weapons ready," she says, moving to keep the wagon between herself and the ridge.
The pass is calm and quiet as the cart rolls sedately along. The driver is probably doing his best to keep the trunk from getting jostled. Both the armadillo and the bear look rather tense in the narrow confines of the pass, high stone walls rising on either side of the trail. Somewhere up ahead, a stone clatters down the sheer walls.
Kazel turns around and peers at the feline, taking a moment to recognize him. "Oh, it is you. I do just fine in -normal- society, thank you very much." With that she turns to Millicent. "Not really, and I agree, be on your guard."
Lyas grins across at Millicent. "I'm sure we can put our traumatic first meeting well behind us and work together." Not liking the silence, he keeps a hand on the hilt of his sword. "Might we want to spread out around the wagon? Cover each side?"
Millicent glances around, ears perking at the sound. "Hold up a moment. Beware of a landslide," she says, frowning. "They might be trying to drop rocks on the path, and the wagon too if it's there at the time. We don't want to get caught in it. Wait a moment to make sure things are clear before we proceed. And we can certainly try to cover the wagon's sides, but I'm going to remain here behind it."
It might be a little late to talk strategy at this point as a miniature avalanche comes crashing down the walls of the pass ahead of the cart, forcing the driver to reign in the pony! Most of the stones rattle harmlessly to the ground, but one or two fist sized stone ricochet toward the wagon and its escort, one bouncing off the side of the cart, another thumping into Lyas's shoulder and a third cracking against Millicent's heavy armor. Shouts and challenges follow quickly after the falling rocks as a cohort of ten beings come sliding down the steep rock face! It looks like Hugo was right to be worried.
Kazel is not one to talk first and focuses for a moment while the attackers are still at range, aiming to hex them with some dark math to be less effective in the battle that is sure to follow.
