The Arks End - RPLOG
From Rusted Promises
Participants
Date
6/9/475
Log
Nemoric wanders into the room and looks to the hunched over officer at the desk. Moving to take a seat in one of the chairs figuring they'll be filled in when theres enough of an actual group.
Ictus hmms as he enters the building and salutes the officer, "Ictus of House Solacious, Sir." he smiles as he moves to stand nearby and nods to Nemoric
Sandy was an oppourtunist, this was one of those times where it would pay. Mostly, she'd make money to get more food with out having to hunt it down her self, that is her theory. Thusly does the cantankerous female thud her way into the barracks, looking more akin to a pile of moving weapons and armor, then any thing else, that is until you try to see closely, then you realize there's scar tissue and slabs of muscle in there. "Sandraudiga." She says to the officer once she spots him, moving in closer with her peculiar galumphing gait.
Ryusho would of arrived a little later then some but possibly before others, though he is not sure as he arrives, though he checks himself over quickly before he enters, making sure he was geared properly, before he enters, ducking through the door as he arrives, with a partial Salute as well, "Ryusho, House Ironsoul Retainer, Sir." he says with a bit of a bow of his head in respect as well.
The soldier lifted his head from the papers, a brow rising as he looked over what was to be the scouting party send back to the ark. His eyes narrowing as he peered at Ictus before his snout wrinkled and his lips fell into a frown as he looked over the heavily encumbered Badger. Rising up to his full height and turning toward the arrivals, he raised his arms and thrust one across the other, bringing his forearms down against his chest with a metallic clash of steel on steel before speaking in a commanding tone "So this is it? This is all the city had to offer? This is going to be a scouting mission. I hope you all are prepared for the trek out and back."
Nemoric doesn't look to be arms near as much as some others, mostly wearing some light padded armor and a pair of sharp claw weapons at the back of his belt. He looks over at the officer, "I assume if we encounter trouble we're to take care of it ourselves as well." Glancing at Sandy almost asks how they can walk with so many weapons but decides not to.
The Ratel's eyes narrow a bit at the soldier, he dares to question her capacity for long treks? "I am a Ratel, we do not know pain, fear, nor fatigue. Where the others rest, I shall continue the mission. When their bodies fall, I shall use them as provisions to continue the hunt." She says in her peculiar accent, it's hard to percisely say where's she is from, a southern dialect in origin? Possibly, her kind is known for dry climates, also, she's a touch insane.
Ryusho turns his head and looks to the Ratel, with a slight scowl, "..Of course, -EAt- the members of your party rather then consider giving them proper respect, what a way to try to -impress- someone." he mumbles softly, shifting his position a bit where he stands...
Ictus blinks at the officer and grunts a little, "A smaller party is better for scouting missions and I believe we are all capable, Sir." he glances at the Ratel at her speech and shakes his head a bit
The officer half turns from Sandraudiga, staring at her for some moments and beginning to wonder if this isn't the idea team to send for the job as at the very least it will put one member of the lest stable element of society outside the city walls. With a loud snort and a hiss of breath between his teeth he reached out behind to pick up one of the maps. Pulling it up in front of himself for all to see it clearly depicted the area around the Ark, the original landing sight from which all the original settlers had emerged. "You all know what this is I am sure. Recently we have had confirmed reports the shadow have moved into this area and defiled the sacred ark. This is less than a days hard march from the city and because of this we need to ready our defences, but we also need to know what the shadow are doing. That is where you all come in. get out there and find them. See where they are coming from, see if you can get any information on their numbers and determine where they are heading. Any questions?"
Nemoric rises from the chair, studing the map for a few moments and nods, "Then lets be off." Nodding to Ictus and Ryu then looking at sandy, shrugging and moving over toward the door to wait for the others.
The Ratel stares at the map, asborbing what she can through rote memorization, it may come in handy later, who knows what might change under the Shadow's influence, but once Nemoric makes the motion to move out, she gladly does so, her galumphing gait being apparent again, she's peculiar when moving in that shuffle, but seems to be like a tank, slow, ponderous, and unwilling to stop.
Ryusho hums softly as he takes the moments to study the map to get an idea of the area as he can then hums, nodding a bit as well, before he turns and begins to follow after Nemoric as well, though he does almost stop to wait on Ictus as well
Ictus knows the area well as he studies the map with a nod, "I was with the party that discovered that... We will return with the info, Sir." before he salutes and heads off with the others
Sandy's peculiar gait picks up as they traverse the road, often ranging out into the woodlands and back, always holding one her longarms at the ready, she seems to expect trouble before they even get there, a prudent notion. She wasn't lying about her endurance either, she doesn't seem to show signs of tiring, it's a foreign concept to her.
Nemoric moves at an even pace, his claws out instead of resting in their holders on the back of his belt. Ears peeled for any sounds out of place as well as sticking more to the edge of the path for quick cover incase they need to fight something.
Ryusho would be moving evently as well, though with his cast, though he naturally might not be a high paced species, he would be able to recover if they needed to pause quite quickly, since he is able to keep going incombat or out of it quite some time, from his own stamina, and endurance aided by his species.
The officer nods in approval of the groups willingness to get under-way, setting down the map and following the group outside where a pair of armoured guards are waiting. With a nod and informing the guards that you all have agreed to be the scouts the guards look quite relieved having just been let off the hook for this task. They gladdy offer to give you what advice is needed and provide basic, fairly minimal supplies. Enough rations to get you there and back but little else. You are left to fend for yourselves in terms of gear. What they tell you outlines the options for a quick day march that will get you to the ark by nightfall or a two day trip that would allow you scout the area by day. they outline the pros and cons of each in detail before following you to the gates and bidding you good luck
Nemoric moves at an even pace when they are finally underway onto the path toward the ark, his claws out instead of resting in their holders on the back of his belt. Ears peeled for any sounds out of place as well as sticking more to the edge of the path for quick cover incase they need to fight something. He'll let the 'Nobles' decide if they want to do the 1 day march or the 2 day march, basicly leaving it up to ictus. He'll just make sure the noble makes it back to town alive. (edits for prosterity)
Ryusho would be in a similar situation, true the nobles decide, though ..well he is a retainer, but his house has little to no powera nyway right now, so doesn't matter much one way or the other his decision >.>
Ictus nods to the guards and ponders a bit before looking to the others, "I say we march during the day, that will give us the most intel." he heads out with Nemoric after the descision is made
The Ratel is seemingly uncaring to the decision, once it is made, she'll rapidly disappear back into the woodlands along the road to follow the group, or range in front of it, occasionally she'll meander back with berries in her paw. Food, it motivates her.
The travel over the road is quick and easy. The group makes great progress, encountering no obstetrical to bar the path, no signs of doom give cause for pause and the countryside is peaceful as far as anyone can see. There are no signs that you all may be walking into a nest of shadows. Sadly as the day drags on clouds grow thick, approaching from ahead of you spreading a gloomy darkness long before sunset and a chill that grows steadily worse as you reach the foot of the final mount that marks the last assent before reaching the Arks resting place. Though the sky is hidden by anyone estimation sun down is very near and the world around you has taken on a much more sinister feel with little being visible at any great distance and no sounds being heard beyond the whistle of the wind over rocks and the rustle of grasses. This may well be the parties last chance to make plans before reaching their destination.
Nemoric pauses back and looks to the others, "So whats the plan, this much quite means even the natural creatures around have most likly fled." Keeping his claws out, not sense putting them away, but still sticking to the edge of the path, though doubts shade will help hide them from shadow beasts.
The Ratel will kneel with the rest of the group, though she's keeping her eyes open for movement, occasionally sweeping the area with her blunderbuss. "We should move fast, we are few, they are many, and I strongly suspect the city Garrison will provide any aide if we come back with shadow chasing us." She says, shifting just a bit, itching to just get this part over with.
Ryusho hums softly, "I feel we should be quiet, and try to just do our job carefully, it might be slower to do such, but being slow and careful, would allow us to do our job without being spotted, and then be able to get away without them being any the wiser......at least that is my guess on the situation..."
Ictus hmms at that and looks around suspiciously, "Yeah, seems like it." he looks at Ryu and ponders a bit, "Those wings work?" he shakes his head at Sandy a bit, "They will likely take offense if we bring too many." he nods in agreement with Ryu
Ryusho nods a bit, "They work quite well, and effectively." he says with a simple nod....
There is a seance of dread pressing in on you all. A feeling of being watched from afar and yet all around there is no indication of activity, no sigh of the shadows though against the darkness it is hard to be certain.
Ictus nods to Ryu and hmms, "Think you'll see anything from above?" he glances around and draws his blade as well as unslinging his shield
Sandy, being small, decides to cautiously move into Nemoric's shadow, and place the tiger between her self, and the Ark, she has that bad feeling, the one you get before things to hell around you. She slowly cocks the hammer back on her Blunderbuss and peers into the darkness, eyes narrow slits. "Trouble." She says, helpfully.
Nemoric nods a bit to that and crouches down so his movements harder to see from afar, listening to Ictus's plan but keeping an eye out a bit, "Anyone else get the feeling we're being watched?"
Ryusho hums slightly as he slowly shifts and rubs his head, "I suppose I can do my best to see what I can, though depending on how it is above the ground very far, but I may need to attempt to fly low if I can not see from a decent altitude." he says simply, "It really depends on how well visibility is as I go up...but I can try my best."
the wind picks up suddenly and thunder claps off in the direction of the ark or perhaps it wasn't thunder but a hollow metallic boom and each of you is afflicted with a new sence of dread
Nemoric's ears flick and he doesn't even think on it, shifting around quickly and coming up from that crouch to quickly rush by the source of the sound with those claws held out to slice into it. Moving quick enough that the movement would not only slice but burn from sheer friction, though he wouldn't stop by the source but move beyond it so he's not right there for a retaliation.
Ryusho seems to shiver as he hops away from something on the ground shaking his leg out as he 'Gah's' a bit, looking at where he had been standing, with a bit of a -yuck- look as he tries to shake the sensation off his leg, then just brush it off instead....
The Ratel stiffens a bit and her lips curl back into a snarl, a grimacing disposition suddenly, she is not happy, and her weapon shifts in the vague direction of what disturbed her. "We should shift quickly to a defensible position." She says, suddenly shifting when Nemoric moves by..moving where? Towards the Ark, let the idiots be her distraction, she shall get the intel, or die trying.
Ictus flicks his left ear towards the whispers he hears and frowns as he peers into the darkness hissing out, "Get behind cover!" as he looks to do exactly the same
all around the road at the base of the mount is grasslands, with the uneven terain broken by the odd rocky protrusion but otherwise devide of any substancial cover besides a few scruffy trees, the odd bush and tall grass.
Bite slithers onto the path carrying a few shiny and rusted pieces of metal. Upon closer inspection it appears she has found some discarded tools from various now gone owners. She drops it all with a clatter as she hisses and begins prepping an explosive spell before recognizing some members of the group. Calming down from her startle she gathers her things and approaches them. "Hello there sssweeties, what are you all doing here?"
Nemoric manages to strike at nothing but air, his frantic charge and clawed swipes meeting no resistance. Sandraudiga is uncontested in her advances and Ryusho manages successfully to swat at his lower leg several times while Ictus gives into some long grass
Sandy wasn't going to do much but keep traversing towards the objective, her stocky stature possibly an advantage now as she moves, her galumphing gait easy to spot though when she isn't in the tall grass or the like, Bite? Well, she stops to peer at Bite. "We are being hunted!" She'll say before going right back to her brazen charge, tactics? There isn't much involved here, she's going to let every one else follow her, or not.
Nemoric flicks his ears keeping them peeled and scaning the area as he moves back, "Swore I heard a weapon being drawn, stay alert." Keeping those claws out as he moves nodding to bite, "Fancy seeing you here."
Ryusho looks up as he glances around, to ictus, then to Sandy and..then Bite, then back to Sandy, "What are you..." he sits there, and shakes his head, Fine, let the idiot get herself killed, This is a -SCOUTING- mission, not an -assault- but someone seems to think they can take on the world...he shifts and looks to Ictus, "You want me to try to get in the air now?" he says after a moment, "...Since She is being an idiot anyway, and goign to apparently be a -distraction- with her stupidity...." well that is one point..it will keep the shadow distracted with her, and not him flying around.
Ictus growls as Sandy moves onwards and shakes his head, "Yes, see if you can." to Ryu as he moves as stealthily as he can in heavy armor towards the Ark, he looks at Bite and nods, "Either get out of here or join us... But you're magic would be welcome."
