Tower of Flame - RPLOG
Participants
Date
22/6/477
Log
The path near the entrance to the northern mountains was surprigingly clear this day, little to nothing standing in the way of those approaching aside from a cool breath of wind, and sunny skies. Nearing the base of the path, sits a older looking coyote, shirtless with only a pair of iron greaves over his legs and groin, and a large two handed axe strapped to his back. The Coyote seemed to be gazing back and forth in anticipation, as he awaited the new arrivals impatiently.
Selena arrives with a copy of the request as posted in hand, still reading over the item as she arrives. Standing in front of the Coyote, she takes a quick look over them before offering a hand. "Well, hello. I suppose you posted this?" She asks, offering out the request. "What else should I know, if anything?"
Johnny approaches the northern mountains, the coyote getting a strange look as he approaches. "Hey, what are you needing done?" he asks as he weilds a dagger, awaiting an answer.
"Hopefully it's nothing too major over there," Rixo says as she reaches up to adjust her helmet. "But it's been a while since I've taken up a contract like this. I'm looking forward to the fun." She gives a curt nod to Johnny and Selena. "Hello there, Selena. It has been a while! Again."
Pyra makes her way up the path, the clear day not doing much for incospiucity. A few wisps of dark smoke leaving her exposed scales as she walks. She shakes her head, looking at the rest of the people here. There was money to be made and things to kill... And maybe something to steal. Nefarious Purposes sounds very much promising.
A loud series of metallic clanks echoes in the distance. As time marches on, so too does the sound, only growing louder and louder. Eventually, a jogging lion makes his way into the growing group of those called to aid. Stabbing the base of his spear into the ground, Dio pants for a few moments and slams a fist over his plate covered chest for effect while catching his breath. "Hoo, that was quite a run an' a 'alf I tell ya. Good..." He pauses for a moment, muzzle pointing upwards to peer at the sun's location. "Evenin' just 'bout. Dio the Traveler at yer service."
"And on my honeymoon day too." Jera resounds from above as he nosedives towards the snow, pulling back just in time to land with snow cushioning his descent of talons on rock. "Saw the commotion from nearby. Thought I'd help make the place safer for her as well." He half mumbles to himself as he flaps his wings once to stretch them before tucking them in under him.
"Yeah... I can tell'ya what I saw." The Coyote looks over the group as they arrive, giving a gentle huff. "Me and my buddy Wrex were doing some explorin' in the area. Figured we'd be fighting off normal things. Well we get to this tower, and the thing just give you the shivers. I told him we should just be lettin someone else risk their neck to go on in, but Wrex was heavy clan and proud, so he pushed on in." The Coyote stands some as he rolls his shoulder. "Ain't natural what was in there, folks doin' all sorts of twisted things to beings an' animals. Wrex went down swingin, an' they overlooked me. I ain't askin' you to help me rescue a dead man, I wanna put every son of a bitch in that tower to death, an' I know I'll be needin' help." He points to himself and clears his throat. "I'm Vaka, don't figure it'll be important to know my name, but there it is." His hand moves to point to a slightly more beaten off trail as he nods. "Tower is up that way... Tell me when you're ready, an' we can go on up."
Selena gives a wave to the group of other beings as they arrive in turn, sighing a little for some reason. "Right. Well, that sounds like something I've heard of before. I got a report a long time ago about the Kindcraft doing some being experimentation in one of their hidey-holes, but that was a long time ago, and this sounds a little different. Either way, I guess I don't have to state the obvious." She notes, stretching out. "So I suppose that means it's going to be something major, Rixo. It has been a while. Dio, it's been even longer."
Johnny nods. "Alright, killin a few folk'n making some crown. How many?" he asks as he looks the group over once to see who would come with him. Smart one was there, so was.... that one, the armored one, and a shadowy snake? There seems to be a common theme between them, the arrow guy was here too. "Alright Vaka, whats the plan?"
Rixo looks over her shield, making sure that it's secure as her water elemental seems to form itself from the air moisture, taking on its usual serpentine visage. "Huh, major indeed, then. I can sympathize with a search for revenge, though. I'll offer my sword, then! Lead the way and they shall be dealt with. Can't have atrocious experiments like that go unpunished."
Pyra looks up at the word experiments. Furthuring knowledge is a good thing. Letting others find out about so called 'objectionable' knowledge is just sloppy. Right, looks like they'll have to die, and have their research stolen. Tis the way of things when you get sloppy. "Kindcraft? Can't say I've heard of them. But it sounds like its been a thorn in the side. Of course, it sounds like this lot is just being stupid."
Dio moves a bit closer to Selena with a curious gaze. His muzzle searches and analyzes up and down her figure, starting with her toes and leading up to her eyes. "Hmmm..." he mumbles under his breath, a single finger scratching gently at his chin. "'fraid I don't remember ya. Ya see, I went on this gran' journey an' ended up gettin a knock on my 'ead, causin' me to lose my memor- Pfft." The lion chuckles lightly, failing to hide it behind a golden hand. "Sorry. Suppose I ain't so good at lyin'. It has been awhile, 'asn't it? But I suppose that ain't too uncommon fer a traveler, eh?"
Turning towards the client, Dio listens carefully and nods his head. "I'd rather try an' get as many alive as possible fer appropriate applications o' justice. If they hurt more beings out there, I'm sure their familes would like to see 'em punished."
Jera listens to the client intently, though one of his ears are folded in Dio's direction. Listening to him. "Hmm." He offers, towards nobody in particular. Just processing information. "Do you want me to scout ahead as usual again? In case there is an ambush laid in the snows ahead."
"I don't care about some sort of thing for justice. Those bastard's are doin things to all sorts of folks, an' unless you're figuring you can lug them a mile through the snow and then all the way back to somewhere you can get justice, they either die, or they run. As for how many? A lot." The Coyote grumbling some as he stands and moves off to the base of the trail. "It's a simple plan... We get in, we fight, we burn everything that even looks flammable, an' we get out." He gives a short nod then before begining to walk up the trail.
Johnny nods. "Alright, les get to it. We'll go in, out, and finish as quickly as possible." he says before he waits for others to move off with him.
Selena rolls her eyes a little at the lion's silliness, moving forwards with the others. "There's something to be said for 'safely' as well." She notes. "Probably not the best time for small talk though, is it?"
Rixo rolls her shoulders and pulls her large sword from her back, nodding. "Yes, let's do this! Need to destroy the knowledge while we're at it, lest it fall into... Less scrupulous hands. I'm not so good at the burning, so I'll leave firestarting up to others!"
Pyra hmms. No, that knowledge will be in her hands. "I can do it, They don't call us Fire Skinks for nothing... nd I don't mean the scale pattern..." She walks up with the group with a sigh. She'll have what she needs soon.
"Don't worry," Dio claims as he shakes his head. "I ain't gonna be a stickler fer justice an' all that. We roll in an' take care o' 'em, but if we manage to secure a couple for the local system, then let it be. I ain't much one to execute someone while they're down an' out. Not anymore, anyways." Reaching back, the lion unstraps his large tower shield and brings it out in front, the spear following swiftly with a quick bang upon its surface. "Ready when ya are. If the lad wants to scout ahead, go fer it. Anythin' to help not get an arrow o' bullet in my back."
"It'll be safer." Jera's claws dig into the rock the best he can as he works up air magic, blowing up gusts with his large, broad wings before taking off, going for altitude first to steer clear of the ground, though still enough to look for anything in the outset in the direction that the group is heading.
The Coyote grumbles some as he begins to lead the party up the path, and for the most part it's quiet and calm. The snow increasing in it's amount the farther they go, until soon enough they're at the edge of a small hill, a dilapitated tower that rose roughly three stories tall ahead of them. No doubt one of the abandoned watch towers from when the shadows came, and judging from the way it looked about ready to fall apart that would be a correct assumption. The entrance appears for the most part to be unguarded, consisting of a thick wooden door with a heavy lock upon it. Whomever had taken up residence in here, was smart in making it appear just an oridinary abandoned building to keep eyes away.
Johnny shakes his head as they move. "It's hard to learn from others mistakes if you cover 'em up. Making us research somethin they already did 'emselves is stupid. You'll never learn to fight em that way. Learnin how someone works is the best way to shut em down." He'd probably grab a few books, hopefully the smart one would too, he knows he'll have a rough time of understanding it. And maybe he can call this one out and tell them how he really feels, bunch of arrogant kings up in the sky or something. He stops at the building and considers trying to just open the lock, but inspects for any other ways in.
Selena takes a few moments to consider the comments from Rixo. "That depends on what the knowledge is. I wonder, though... If it's something we can use then it'd be better not to outright destroy it." She notes, looking back over the others. "I have to side with Johnny."
The overall appearance of the tower they'd been lead to almost prompts a double-take - though all the better , proof of its own hiding. "So. Any suggestions for how we want to go about this?"
Rixo shakes her head slowly. "Pity." She says nothing else. She'll deal with it if it comes to it. For now, she stands by the door, sword and shield at the ready, having placed the larger weapon on her back in favour of the smaller one suited for indoor combat.
Pyra grumbles. Finally. Someone who can see sense. "If we're here to wipe them out, better to give ourselves the advantage." She peers at the rest of the tower, not much to say besides a crumbling ruin. Still despite the lack of guards who's to say the front door is the best option? There may be a second entrance.
"We can worry 'bout the books when we aren't in danger o' gettin' stabbed o' hit with some mathemagic," Dio claims. Walking along with the others, the lion looks about, expecting an ambush or something of the sorts. When it seemed the group was realtievely safe, he relaxes his guard for a moment to relax. "Best see if we can spot a good way in. Best be watchin' fer traps as well. If they're the tricky types, ya can probably expect somethin' to explode o' shoot off if ya ain't careful."
Jera circles the tower before he lands and then shifts back into his normal form. Glad that the group has already entered as he quickly rolls out his bundle of equipment and gets armed. Thankfully he brought his close quarters kit, as it was much easier to bring around and hang from his neck. A simple hand crossbow is loaded with bolts and a bo with a dagger hanging from it tucked into a sleeve of his leather glove. Ready, he enters the tower. "No one else around outside."
"There weren't many traps when we managed in... They put the lock back on though..." The Coyote gives a slight nod, before looking to the others. "Me an' Wrex went through the front." Just as well, Johnny would notice two windows a story up, with broken bars over them. The issue then being how to get the more armored individuals up... However, he'd notice a slight bit of drag marks leading off to the left somewhat, where a small shack was near the back. Most likely used for storage, but it could either have an entrance, or something worth investigating perhaps...
Johnny gives the windows a once over, unsure that a split group would be a good idea. He does linger on the shack, moving to glance at it as he gives a motion towards the drag marks. "Maybe they stowed your... heavy clan, friend, this way?" he says as he looks to the group and then approaches the shack carefully, for lack of politer words.
Selena takes one more look at the house before turning to Johnny. "Well, either way... We'll find out sooner or later." The wolfess looks back to the skink for a moment and shrugs - "Well, if it was a case of just killing people setting fire to the house would work. But I think I'd rather not. It's not as easy as it sounds, not is it a 'good idea' as far as anything else is concerned.
Rixo studies the door for a moment before shrugging. "Unless there's a way in from that shed, yes, then maybe we should just try going in through the front door? I'll leave it up to you, though. I do not care too much one way or the other, as long as we get in."
Pyra hmms, "I never suggested torching the place, I merely stated I could provide the spark. Regardless I don't care about the researchers themselves right now. Its clear they're not doing their job adequately, but whatever they might have found might be of use." She shakes her head watching Johnny slink away to the shack. She follows suit, no need to split the party after all.
Dio's ears twitch towards Johnny. "We might find somethin' interestin' over there. Worth investigatin' I'm sure. Doesn't look like we're on a timer o' anythin', so let's 'ave a good look 'bout the area 'fore we go chargin' in." Shield out in front of him, the lion follows behind Johnny to investigate the curious shack.
Jera stays near the back of the group, weapons at the ready. He would have a lot of explaining to do if he got hurt at his honeymoon week. "Yeah, you guys just go ahead first. I'll watch your back in case they pin us."
The shack is unlocked, allowing them to open it with ease to reveal a myriad of skeletal remains, and currently decomposing remains as well. All of them consisting of a mixture of beings, and local wildlife with a variety of missing limbs or extra incisions. The shack is almost filled with them, and near the back is a smaller latch of a door roughtly large enough for a regular sized being to crawl through on their hands and knees, even if in armor... The downside of course, is that a good bit of ichor is trailing along it, and the smell is ungodly.
"Don't worry about Wrex... He want down swingin, an' he went down proud... If you're thinkin' of crawlin' through that I uh... I suppose we could." The Coyote grimancing at the thought.
Johnny looks to the others. "Well... I'm surprised the maneback haven't sniffed this out. Would someone with armor and a helmet care to go first, or should I pick the lock?"
