Swamps and Craige - RPLOG
Participants
Date
11/6/478
Log
The wind is blowing around the rain today, as it seems as if these missions only wish to come when rain pours upon the land. The army camp had directed those whom volunteered, to the edge of the swamp where a few tarps with raging bonfires were set up. A single small folk sparrow in an officer's regalia is hopping around as he motions to individuals. "Danials! I told you to finish setting that up -after- you finish the meal! LORELY! What in the King's name are you doing sitting down?" The bird himself seems terribly distracted, but of the fifteen folks present, he does appear to be the one in charge...
Millicent winds along towards the meeting point, suited up in her armour today. If it was going to be dangerous, she was going in equipped! Her larger sword kept in addition to her usual smaller one. "Hello! I am here to help," she says, offering a little wave.
Cara makes her way over to the camp, suited up in an ordinary outfit for once. Said ordinary outfit is long pants with quite a large amount of pockets and a grey sleeved jacket. As expected, she has her sabre sheathed at the hilt, her staff in her right hand, and a smile on her face. "I hope I can help out as much as I can."
Shizuko enters the camp in the swamp, the leopardess' ears flat. She has added an umbrella to her already impressive arsenal, although with the wind it hasn't kept her too terribly dry; as she reaches the group, though, she gets her game face on and looks over the assembled army unit with a cool, professional demeanor before she nods at the officer.
The little sparrow jumps slightly as the trio approaches, peering around them some as he clicks his tongue and nods to himself. "Alrighty then! I am Lieutenant Dannio, and as for your briefing today ladies I shall be short... Go into this tunnel, smack around some of the ugly bastards to get far in, then tell us what you see." He nods gently as a goat in a privates uniform clears his throat, causing the sparrow to jump once more. "Oh! As for the entrance, it is just past the large tree at the end of the camp. We havent seen any movement since we killed their workers, so by all means we -believe- it to be safe for a bit. As for us having scouted before you, well, we're well aware of -your- adaptability and chose to wait for you lot instead of sending some boys to their deaths. Rest assured, payment in full upon return."
Millicent looks down at herself, then to the sparrow and nods. "Sounds good to me. I will do my best," she says, looking over towards the others "Do either of you want to take point, or shall I?" She asks, looking off towards the cave.
Cara nods in agreement and speaks, "Thank you for the information." She proceeds to step forward, "I'll take point. After all, I didn't really bring a torch and it might be best if the torch bearers remain in the back." At that point she begins walks toward the large tree with a confident smile on her face, her ears perked up, and her tail moving slowly through the air. However, she stops shortly in case anyone isn't following along.
The leopardess' ear flicks, and Shizuko bows her head to the sparrow. "That works for me," she replies, falling in behind Cara and keeping her eyes on the tigress. "I tend to rely on my speed more than armor, so if the tunnel gets too tight I may need to hide behind you, Millicent."
Dax runs up to the group panting and huffing. "Wait!" he drones, his lips not matching his words, "Wait for me! I can help!" The miniature rhino stops at the group, a huge wrench braced over his shoulders.
The group is shown by the goat to the entrance, the tunnel itself -just- tall enough for a average sized being to enter... Not nearly big enough yet for any of those larger creatures the Craige use! The tunnel itself is almost pitch black inside, though when a torch is lit it would reveal surprisingly smooth stone leading all the way in, as if the craige were less breaking out like a miner, and more shapping it for a hall of some sort. The floor is slicked from the rain that has seeped down into it, making it just a tad slipperly but nothing too dangerous so long as one minds their footing inside.
Millicent nods at Shizuko and claps her plated arm to her breastplate. "I will do my best to guard you! Though I confess, my armour is more for skirmishes and light conflict than taking hits. It's no knight's regalia." She tugs a lantern up from her hip, though, and nods at Cara. "I'll provide light as best as I can. When we start getting in enough that it gets too dark to see."
Cara begins to think about things as they walk along. She calls out from ahead of Millicent, "Thank you, Millicent." As she feels her way along the walls, she starts to pay attention for anything that might jump out and attack the quartet of explorers.
Dax trots after the others and tapps something on his little tool vest that starts to give off a gentle white light and sticks close for now.
Shizuko slings her miao dao over her shoulder - figuring the larger blade would be useless in the tight quarters - and then readies a torch from her pack, lighting it before she slips her falchion into her other hand. "Alright," she says, tone lower. "Quick and quiet and lets see what these things have at home."
For the majority of the slope down the tunnel, the trip is... Quiet. The lights from the group illuminating small etchings in the Craige's illegible language that dot the wall, possible instructions for the workers judging from one picture of a craige with a digging tool of some sort. though, the farther down the path they go, the more a tiny speck of light in the distance begins to glow even farther down the hallway, and the sounds of metal hitting metal can be heard...
With Shizuko's torch and Dax's light, she leaves her own lantern to hang from her hip again, unlit, while she draws the sword at her side. "Sounds... Like a forge," she says quietly, ears twitching.
Cara's ears twitch as she hears the metal hit itself. Without a word, the feline places her staff behind her back into its respective holder, and unsheashes her sabre. At this point, she stops and speaks quietly, "We'll have to be careful about this. They might have additional help. I see two courses of action. We could go in there and jump them, or we can send someone who is good at sneaking to see how many are in the room."
Shizuko quietly agrees with Millicent, with a small "Mmhm." Her ear flicks. "They are building their tools of war... if you want me to scout it out I am comfortable with it."
Dax shakes his head. "Don't look at me," he buzzes in that strange mechanical drone of his, "I'm about as sneaky as a-" he makes some sort of unintelligible reference. It can be assumed that whatever he said it was something loud. "But I am small, if you need me to get into some tight spaces."
Millicent glancs back towards Shizuko and gives a little nod. "Feel free. I trust your abilities over my own when it comes to scouting. I'm just good at swordplay." And fishing, but that's hardly relevant down here. "Nor am I... Small. I will hold back if some scouting were to take place."
Cara grits her teeth for a moment and turns back to Shizuko and whispers, "Okay, you can go. However, just find out what's in the room and then head back to us immediately. I don't need to see more fatalities again."
Shizuko bows her head to Cara and smiles, then passes her torch over to Dax. The leopardess begins creeping down the rest of the stairs then, her glowing stripes slowly fading as well so that the light doesn't give her away.
Dax bites his lip and does his very best to tiptoe quietly along after Shizuko. He passes the torch over to Cara and scoots down the hall, though his gear clinks and jingles in that utility belt and vest he wears. "What exactly are we looking for?" his voice drones, quiet, but with the same monotone quality as always. He gives the Snow Leopard lots of space. He does not want to get her caught, after all. As they near the light ahead, he taps his own little lamp to darken it and tightens his grip on his titanic wrench.
Whatever noise Dax inadvertantly makes, it is quickly covered by the rhythmic thrums of metal striking hard against metal as they approach near the end of the tunnel. The bright light is almost glaring in comparison to the artificial light they had needed moments prior, and the show before them is rather impressive to say the least. The room the tunnel let out into was easily one hundred and twenty yards wide, as well as long, and filled to the brim with smithing stations as super heated magma is pushed through rough stone cannals. At each station stands a craige three foot taller than the average being, weilding a smithing hammer they use to temper the metal they are working upon. From first glance, it seems as though there is roughly sixty in the room right now, each having their focus turned to their work instead of the tunnel.
To the right of the room however, and far closer to the door, is a single scrawny looking craige with runes carved into his hands. He's motioning his hands in such a way, as to draw magma forth from a hole in the wall, to have it slowly fill into the main cannal before splitting off. Just beyond him, is a wide door, large enough to fit two cairages side by side through...
Millicent looks out over the scene, tail drooping a little. "I expected to fight maybe ten at most," she murmurs. "Too many to take head on, certainly, mmmh... Any ideas?"
Cara looks at the room, and takes a look at the little craige to the right, "Well, we could just take out that little one and attempt to flood the room ourselves. Another idea involves diverting it to that wide door in order to break whatever they have going on."
Shizuko watches the room for a few moments, then backs off to confer with the group. "The smiths seem focused on their work. I wonder if they would notice if we slipped through... I do not think we will be able to take them all, no. The little one, perhaps, and if we take his hands we might be able to direct the magma. If we just kill it, then the flow may stop."
Dax peers out into the Craige Smithy. "Would it help," he buzzes, his monotone the opposite of his nervous body language, "If I made a distraction? Then we could all run for that door." He looks inexplicably shy for a second. "If we can get the lava mover to move, I might even be able to get us to that door without being seen," he offers, though it seems like a strange offer.
It's true as Shizuko says, the smiths seem far too absorbed into their work to notice the world around them, as their obsidian like eyes remain focused completely on their works. Infact the only one whom would present an issue to the group, is the one directing the flow currently. His hands are glowing bright with the runes as he works, and an observant eye will take note that he seems to be keeping it all from pouring -in- judging by his hand motions.
Millicent rubs the back of her head with her free hand. "Urgh. I... I'm not sure. I've never been much of a tactical thinker. If you decide on a course of action, though, I will do my best to do my part in seeing it through."
Cara groans and answers, "Neither have been the best tactical thinker either, but if do you think that you might be able to handle it?" The feline moves out of the way and allows the pygmy space rhino to work his idea, although, she'll be ready to grab him and run if needed.
Dax nods after getting the go ahead from the others and looks intently to the far side of the room. A sudden high pitched keening comes from the far wall, like a broken machine servitor. The little rhino keeps focused, hoping that the magma mover will go to check it out.
Shizuko remains at Dax's side, quietly watching the craige for a reaction. "Perhaps that one is focused on the magma, and not allowed to move?" she asks quietly. "Do you have a way to draw its attention further into its task?"
The Craige perks up at the screeching, barking out some orders in it's harsh gutteral language as the nearest smith barks back before focusing on his work. Sure enough, with a little grumble the mover places his hands on the stone wall, the hole shrinking considerably to a smaller side as he barks out what may be insults while stomping his way over to investigate the wall as the smiths continue their work on the heated metals!
Dax bites his lower lip and starts to sweat, focusing hard even as Cara lifts him from his feet. The keening on the far side of the room still requires his attention, but he also does the best he can to produce an image of the wall between the hurrying little group and the working Craige. It won't last, and it won't stand up to inspection, but it might be just enough to pass through unseen.
Millicent takes her sword in a two-handed grip, nodding at Cara. "After you, then," she says quietly moving to fall in behind the tiger, ears twitching at the loud sound. She was surprised it was working this well!
Cara sheathes her sabre and calmly walks over to the pygmy rhino and picks him up with both of her arms. She whispers into his ear, "Sorry about this, but I can't just leave you there. Can you make another illision to help us out?" After all, he did say that he wasn't the best at sneaking and this should make it easier for him to maintain an illusion since he doesn't have to worry about moving now. As she walks along carrying him past the room, she manages to do so without much trouble.
Shizuko carefully slinks along behind the group, keeping her eyes out for further trouble as they slip through the room. "Well done, well done," she whispers.
