Building Life Among Undeath - RPLOG
From Rusted Promises
Participants
Date
26/7/476
Log
The City Gates, many solders and a few craftsman and mages stand ready, waiting for transport. An imposing armadillo stands on a platform, a very familiar vixen standing next to him. "Here is our mission beings! We are marching on Mossy Stone, this time..." and he looks to the vixen, ".. we.. aren't trying to destory the undead, but hold them back, while the craftsman and mages construct a bastion against them. The plan.... is to build a small camp that will become a town." He looks again to vulpine who just smiles back. "As soon as you are all ready, we will load up te transports, bring everything you think could help! Lets move!" A roar of mixed cheers, yes sirs, and general confusion.
The City Gates, many solders and a few craftsman and mages stand ready, waiting for transport. An imposing armadillo stands on a platform, a very familiar vixen standing next to him. "Here is our mission beings! We are marching on Mossy Stone, this time..." and he looks to the vixen, ".. we.. aren't trying to destory the undead, but hold them back, while the craftsman and mages construct a bastion against them. The plan.... is to build a small camp that will become a town." He looks again to vulpine who just smiles back. "As soon as you are all ready, we will load up te transports, bring everything you think could help! Lets move!" A roar of mixed cheers, yes sirs, and general confusion.
Sveta remains silent throughout the armadillo's speech, the goshawk instead climbing in one of the transports without further comment after giving Lady Mirana Solacious a dip of her head. There's nothing she really needs to bring along save herself, her spear and shield, and soul gems, of course. Anything else...well, whatever's in her head should be good enough, and she feels comfortable enough with improvising with whatever's at hand, should the situation call for it. Besides, Mossy Stone is not an unknown quantity - she's been there before.
Coming on time for once is the coat wearin' lion himself, armed with coat, musket, and even a crossbow strapped to his wrist. Must've been a sale at the market or something! Much like the goshawk, Dio listens without a word and nods in approval as he rapidly boards one of the available transports. It's been awhile since he's been in something that could compare to mercenary business. Just like old times almost.
Shaytalis starts off to marching with the others behind the lead officer. She nods to Dio, "It is good to see you again. Is your gryphon friend not available?" She looks around, "I do not know the others here. And I have not spent a great deal of time in Mossy Stone. Their numbers were too many for me alone."
Briar Listened quietly while standing in the midst of the crowd with his cape wrapped around his slim body like a cloak. As the undead who roamed the village were mentioned he adjusted his armor. Glancing behind him his short bow was within easy reach. Slightly nervous about the whole scenario he gripped his axe's handle. Once the speach was finished the otter clampered up into one of the available carts, too bad it wasn't a boat.
Meyna approaches the... caravan's not a bad word for it as she figures. She looks around to see if she needs to sign in, check in or just prove that she's there to shoot the other side. From there, she climbs onto a transport and begins to examine her bowstrings for frays. She doesn't particularly know anyone so for now, she just scans the assembled mercenaries. Freeswords, same thing really. To no one in particular she says, "So are we being paid per.. uh, whatever we collect or is it just a flat rate?"
Rixo shuffles onto the scene, no more and no less equipped than usual. "I am sorry that it has taken me so long to arrive. I came as quickly as I could, once I heard that something was happening." The woman takes a moment to adjust her helmet before looking around to see who else showed up. Some new faces, some old ones. "Are we expecting anything unusual out there? Or just the standard stuff?"
Mirana nods to the armidillo who rolls his eyes, "Fight the undead with life and love.. what ever is the Good King... Ok, lets load the transports!" Nothing more then covered carts really, but they will do. The various beings load in, one stopping to say to Meyna, "You will be payed, but the glory of fighting the undead, what more payment do you need!" says the obviously overzealous tigeress. Everyone is nodded to as the solders shift around, packs and gear loaded in. Mira walks up to everyone, giving a slight curtsey, "Thank you, Sveta, Dio, Rixo, Ren... Shaytalis, and everyone else for coming, Mirana for those who don't know me, there is a transport spacifically for you all," she says gesturing to a cart still empty, "I
Mirana nods to the armidillo who rolls his eyes, "Fight the undead with life and love.. what ever is the Good King... Ok, lets load the transports!" Nothing more then covered carts really, but they will do. The various beings load in, one stopping to say to Meyna, "You will be payed, but the glory of fighting the undead, what more payment do you need!" says the obviously overzealous tigeress. Everyone is nodded to as the solders shift around, packs and gear loaded in. Mira walks up to everyone, giving a slight curtsey, "Thank you, Sveta, Dio, Rixo, Ren... Shaytalis, and everyone else for coming, Mirana for those who don't know me, there is a transport spacifically for you all," she says gesturing to a cart still empty, "I'll be joining you in that one." She says walking back over to it.
Sveta dips her head, then bows slightly before leaving her transport to join Mirana in hers. "If you were anyone else, I would object on your coming with us, Lady Solacious, but I trust you have your Creator devices to defend you despite your condition. Still, it will be my pleasure to lend you my shield, if need be." She turns back to Dio and waves him over. "Please, my dear Lion of Supreme Confidence, will you not join us? I do not have cream pie to tempt you with today, but I hope you will grace us with the pleasure of your company anyway."
"Gryphon friend?" The lion cocks his head to the side, clearly quite confused at the vixen's question. "Can't say I've ever 'ad one of those before." The glory of fighting the undead... An interesting concept, even bringing a chuckle to him. As Mirana approaches, he stands up and walks out of the transport he previously boarded and walked towards the vixen. "Lass! It's been awhile. An' our own reserved wagon too! How nice of ya." Tucking at his coat in typical routine, he strides down and enters the wagon of extraordinary beings. "Ah, my sweet Bird of Divine Cookin'. Didn't pack a lunch fer all of us? A shame, as I'm sure it could've boosted morale to massive levels."
Briar blinks realizing that the red fox is asking that he ride in the same cart as her, well not just him in particular, just the freeswords it seems. Nodding his head he hops out of the transport before climbing up into the now next to empty cart. Once on board he offers his webbed paw in greating. "Briar's the name adventuring's my game." He flashes a quick smile before sitting down.
Meyna raises an eyebrow and says, "There's no glory in re-planting a corpse. Just kill them and move on-... stop them with love?" She puts her hand over her eyes and mutters to herself before shrugging it all off and leaning back against the side of the transport. "Meyna" She offers, head still hanging back as she watches the sky.
Shaytalis asks of Mirana, "The objective is to push them back, but not kill them? I am unclear on this point."
"Perhaps for you, my gracious Lion of Great Appetite, but I doubt fighting on a full stomach is recommended for anyone save you." Sveta dips her head at Meyna And Shaytalis as she flaps on the seat, making herself a little more comfortable. "Well met. The Lady Solacious received advice from a spirit that it would be the best course of action, otherwise the corpses would simply keep rising again no matter how many times we put them down. I was present when she...ah, communed with the spirit, and that was the advice given. Hence, to drive them back, yet not kill them. Simple force of arms alone cannot stem this particular tide."
Rixo makes her way towards the cart after giving Mirana a polite nod. "I am Rixo, and yes, trying to kill the undead usually does not work as a permanent solution." Adjusting her equipment, she settles into a seat on the cart. "But with luck, we CAN drive them back enough, one way or another."
Once everyone is loaded up and ready the carts start to move. Mira sits rather uncomfortably in the cart, staff held close, "Oh, no Sveta, I won't be fighting, won't be anywhere near the undead if all goes well. I'll be helping the builders and mages. Need to get the walls up before we get overran." She says, shaking her head and bouncing quite a few times. She nods again to Sveta, as she explains what she was aobut to say herself. Then she cocks her head to the side, "Griffon friend? You have a griffon? That would be helpful, but... a bit late now." she says. Smiling to Briar, she continues, "Thank you greatly again for coming along. I... I hope I've been able to understand Shaila's words well enough and am doing the right thing." she says, "We should be crossing the pass soon."
Shaytalis nods "I understand. What safe harbor will hold their undiminished numbers? Where will we push them back to? Perhaps earth, fire and water can be used to form a barrier around the region, though this would require a great deal of consentrated effort." She looks to Mirana, "Whatever your plan for this, I will work to execute my part of it."
"Fightin' on an empty stomach? Perish the thought!" Setting the musket upon his lap, Dio uses a free hand to shift around in his coat pocket and eventually pulls out a small piece of bread tactically stashed away. With only a few bites, or what could be considered bites, he consumes the roll in a matter of seconds and heaves a relaxed sigh. "Ah, that hits the spot. Now then, any estimate on how long it'll take to form a barrier?"
Briar grumbles as the carts begin to move causing much bumping and jostling to the people inside. The otter couldn't help but grip the side uncomfortably as he looks at the group around him. "So um are all land boats like this I meen to say a good sea faring boat sways gently, this here is insane with all it's bumps and such..." He spoke to no one in particular but still wanted to get his own word out.
Meyna looks at Briar and says, "Land boat? I thought I was a bit backwater." She laughs and says, "Yes it'll be bumpy though, you'll be fine. Just have to sit it out a while." Looking back, watching the lion fish out food is a good enough reminder and she begins to work on a piece of jerky while listening and rolling along for the ride.
Sveta shuffles aside to give Mirana space as the carts begin moving. "Well, Lady Solacious, you were there when I questioned Shalia herself on the issue. I concur with your interpretation of her words. I will admit some surprise that the Lord Ictus has not joined us today, but your brother...never mind. Personal affairs should not cloud more important efforts." She turns to Dio. "Pardon me, my dear Lion of Hidden Stashes, but I'll say one thing, although it should be obvious: I'm sure you have more food in that coat of yours, but if you happen to drop anything on the ground in Mossy Stone...I beg of you, don't pick it up and eat it, five seconds or not."
Rixo peers at Sveta and Dio, shrugging. "She has a point. I do not know why you'd want to do something like that anyway, but I would strongly avoid against it." She tugs on the hem of her cloak for a minute and looks to Briar, next. "It varies. Sometimes the road is bumpy, sometimes it is not. Usually it is the former."
Dio looks to Sveta and nearly looks like he's about to panic! "Wait! Who told ya that lass? More food? I don't know what yer talkin' about..." The lion quickly and desperately folds the coat over his body, as if it were going to help his case, which it didn't considering the fact that a slight bulge could be seen in where a coat pocket may be. "I won't let an undead get any of my food, that's fer sure. It's mine."
there was a part of the otter who wanted to try his luck at stealing some of the lion's food but it looked firmly tucked away. Instead he gives a small nod to the ones who answered him before pulling out a salted fish he had packed. Eating it he looks at the snow leopard. "Back water you said? Where do you sire from?"
"It's not a matter of them getting your food or not, Dio. It's more of a matter that the ground there is tainted with the Old Ones. You're too much fun to have around, and I'd rather you not end up with some affliction akin to Angus'. And as for how I know..." she tilts her head at him. "You're entirely too predictable, you big lug."
Meyna takes a bite of her jerky and looks to the otter, shrugging. "Middle of nowhere, nowhere big enough to make it on a map anyway. About as backwater as you can get, mind you I've seen carts before, but..." She tilts her head back at one of the comments and asks, "There a plague running around I didn't hear about?"
Shaytalis thinks on what Dio asked about how long it would take to make a barrier, "It would be best if the landmass could be seperated, perhaps by means of a moat. Do the undead travel over water? It is unclear how strong of a barier would be needed, or how large, to contain them. Without containment they will be an ongoing threat for the settlement, though perhaps they could be pushed back again from time to time. A permanent solution could take a year of effort from many earth mathemagicians.
Rixo snickers softly and leans back in the cart, turning her eyes skyward. "Hopefully this will go swimmingly, but any time the Solacious foxes are involved, you know you're in for some unexpected situations, eh?" The helmet turns slightly towards Mirana as she jests.
Having just finished clearing his portion of the pass, Ictus can be seen waiting nearby. He hmms? and flags down the driver so he can hop on a cart, "Hey everybeing, mind if I join ya?" as he climbs up to be with Mira
Mirana yips loudly as a large rock causes the cart to bounce a great deal, and sends the vixen to a hard landing on the floor. She rubs her tails and groans a moment as she picks herself up. She watches as Dio and Meyna much on some food, and pulls from her pack some field rations eating a bit herself, "Thank you Sveta, yes, but I'm still a bit nervous about things." she admits. She shakes her head as Dio tries to hide the rest of the food he has hidden on him, a slight cuckle. The carts round about on the pass, coming near the end of it, and a voice shouts out, "It will get smoother soon!" Mira looks to Shaytalis and nods, "We are going to try building it from stone and water, yes, fire would be too hard to upkeep, we don't want to make people have to work continuously to keep the camp safe, though that doesn't mean things will be easy." As Rixo mentions her family's.. history.. she blushes and nods. Then, as Ictus approches, the drive stops just long enough for him to climb in, the moment he is up with her, Mira hugs on him, nuzzling softly, "I was hoping we'd find you!!" she says, but... another Solacious... this couldn't be good.
"So it's the Old Ones tryin' to take my food is it? This only fuels my passion fer battle!" A light growling roar echos in his throat, not loud enough to penetrate the confines of the wagon, but more to demonstrate his lovely spirit. A true roar is saved for battle. "Predictability an' the familiar can sometimes bring comfort I suppose, like knowin' a fox-kit can just pop-up anywhere ya g- Speakin' of which!" Another fox-kit indeed, and a wave to the mentioned fellow.
Shaytalis nods to Mirana, "The usefulness of fire in the endevor could be to make brick from the clay. "
Briar Lets out a shout of pain at the bump that launches him into the air before he lands roughly on his thick tail. "Son of a squid that hurt!" Grumbling about the ride he retrieves his fallen fish and finishes it off as the fox enters the cart.
Rixo slowly shakes her head. "Well, where there was once one, now there are two. Two Solacious foxes. With any luck, Angus won't show up or we'll probably end up fighting some kind of... Ghost mountain instead of the usual undead."
Ictus murrs at the hug and nuzzles with a with a smile, "You aren't going to be fighting, are you love?" he looks concerned and worried at that as he settles into his seat. He looks to Briar and shakes his head with a chuckle. He looks to Dio and waves at that, "So, any briefings while I was clearing the pass?"
Meyna crosses her legs and says, "A ghost mountain? Is that like a haunted mine or is that a mountain that's a ghost, because the first one sounds like it would be fun to explore." With the bang to her head with the rock, she mutters and at least lifts her head.
"Speak of the Creators," Sveta mutters to herself as Ictus boards the cart. "Yes, they are, Dio. I think they want to take everyone's food, if that's enough motivation for you. Now..." she thinks a moment. "Brick is possible, but since we can create solid stone, why not? It will be harder to chip away at, at least. A moat is possible, although I don't think anyone has had word whether they drown or not. Unlikely, though, since they appear to have no further need for the use of lungs. At the very least, their sheer numbers would pile up and eventually fill the moat. To be honest, I'm not so much worried about actually creating a barrier, than how the proposed camp will be supplied. The ground is tainted, and supply trains will be vulnerable."
Mirana quickly brings Ictus up to speed about their mission, to protect the craftsman and mages while they sectioned off an area near Mossy Stone for a camp to be built. "Humm, of course Saytalis, and... My.. brother.. I.." She shakes her head a moment. "With luck we won't have to do much fighting at all... with luck." Pass the Bandit Camp and Griffon Rock, the caravan stops a few miles outside of Mossy Stone. As if able to smell the life.. or perhaps something else, off in the distance, the dead walk, coming closer and closer. The Armidillo jumps out of his cart and yells, "MOVE MOVE MOVE! First contengent to the front, everyone else, sharpen your blades, ready your arrows, lets get started so we can get this over!" Mira herself nuzzles once more on Ictus, "No, I won't be fighting, I'll be helping to construct defences." Her ears twitch at the shouts and she moves to get off the cart herself.
Briar quick to react he puts his axe into his belt before pulling off his shortbow and notching an arrow. He decides to stay in the cart till the position is compromised as he looses the first arrow at the undead before notching another and repeating the process.
Rixo hops off the cart and rolls her shoulders, limbering up. "Well, let's see what kind of opposition awaits us today, hmm? Nothing we can't handle, I hope." A beat. "If it is something we can't handle, we have bigger things to worry about." Probably literally.
"It is, lass! I shall destroy a thousand Old Ones and their minions dare they touch my food!" With energy and excitement nearly beaming off of his body, Dio stands up within the wagon with his hands upon his hips in pride. Though, a few bumps, a wobble here and there, and he soon sits back down. No fighting... When has such luck ever descended upon poor beings in situations such as these? Hearing the armadillo's call certainly confirms and immediately he hops out of the wagon with his musket and hand crossbow, ready for battle. Musket at his shoulder, he crouches down upon one knee and prepares to fire at any undead crossing his path.
Sveta takes a small bow and hefts both her tower shield and spear, switching her soul gems to something more appropriate for the task. "I had hoped to use something else...but it seems otherwise. For now, let us depart." With that, the goshawk begins a slow advance to the front, covering any who will follow with her shield.
Ictus looks to Sveta and chuckles a bit, "Talking about me?" he grins a bit as he ponders and nods at that, "Yeah, that's true. A moat will slow them down at least." he nods as he gets briefed and hmms a bit, "With great luck it looks like..." as they arrive at Mossy he smiles at Mira and gives a quick kiss before he hops out of the cart, "Stay as safe as you can love." as he moves to the front lines with the others
Shaytalis will attempt to position herself in the front, letting Dio take the lead on defenses, preparing to drive them back as best she is able. She looks for any approaching groups, considering whether a supressive field of flames would be more effective or an explosive blast. It will depend upon their speed and numbers.
Meyna shrugs and says over to the bird while rubbing her head, "Why not just set up pits with quicklime? It wouldn't smell pretty, but you could ring the pit with air magic to keep the smell down at least. Or just do weekly pit burnings or somesuch." She pushes herself up to avoid hitting her head again entirely. At the warning she sits up and grabs her bow, stringing it quickly by planting it on the cart and looping the string. "Well that was fast enough."
Briar was about to object as all jumped from the cart save the snow leopard with the bow. "Bunch of thick headed warriors charging out there without a plan, guess we are the cover fire." He looses another arrow at the horde of undead.
As the mages get into positions, a few solders, backed by the soul gifted do as well. The arrows seem to do not to them just yet but make them a bit more aware of everyone! The zombies start charging, shuffling, moving closer and closer. "CHARGE!!" shouts the Armidillo and his men and women at arms rush in, clashing against the zombies! Soon the fight has begun! As the crafters give instructions, the mages, Mira included, work to from a wall of stone and water behind the fighting beings.
Shaytalis seems to have a rather unfocused role in the fight, switching from one hot spot to the next with surprising efficiency. Beginning by shrouding the group with a blasting hot wind, she follows by unleashing a firey bolt into the crowd of undead--turning the heat against the mindless foes while manipulating it to shield her allies. She then shifts gears to treating wounds with swift use of her field kit, patching wounds while looking for opportunities to fire off with another bolt of flame.
Rixo keeps her combat strategical, mostly, for now. Trying to make clean strikes from behind her shield, and keeping the outward display of dark math to a minimum, though if anyone was actually paying attention they'd see it. "How's everyone else holding up?"
