Thunder Hooves - RPLOG
From Rusted Promises
Participants
Date
11/5/476
Log
The assemblage of Gifted outside the city gates is met by a portly mouse of about five feet in height. She has her hands on her belly and her eyes on the lot of mercenaries answering the call, "You all know why you're here?" She has a Clever Folk badge pinned at her left breast.
Mirana walks along, her staff held tightly and, unusual for her, in some chain armor and not her usual leathers or battle dress. "Yes, some dangerous beasts are causing problems for our citizens. I'd like to offer my aid to any group going out to fight with them." She says. Her pack is heavy and one might wonder what all she keeps in there. "I'll be trying to avoid the actual fighting myself though, I'm sure I'll be able to help."
Eleni remains in her typical platemail, the rest of her arms at hand. "Ya did put up an announcement for a monster hunt. I'd like ta think so." She replies, idly sharpening the tip of her spear. This continues for a few moments before she stops, apparently pleased enough with her work. Mirana is given a brief glance, more curious than anything.
Monster hunting! That's about all the badger heard before he decided to grab his gear and head out. And here he is, standing in full plate in front of the portly clever folk, nodding. "I'd heard that there were wild beasts troubling the area." Cedric says to the mouse as he keeps his spear hefted over his left shoulder, nodding in agreement with the Solacious noblebeing. "What species of beasts have been spotted?"
Bite had of a little reemerging problem, and slithers up to the seemingly pregnant mouse swiftly as possible, hissing "Hello sssweetie, how are you doing? Yes I think we're here because of those problems that have come back into the area?" The serpent adjusts her clothing and checks her gear before waiting for a response.
Sierra walks along, guiding her newest golem along, taking a moment or two from time to time to make sure nothing's breaking, grinding too much or ready to explode due to poor machining. Spotting the group, she waves to a few she recognizes and calls out, "What's doing what with the who now? We just need to break them yeah?"
"You'd be very sahprized," says the mouse with a twang of country accent slipping in there, "People just as likely to show up thinking there's opportunity, werther or not they're ready for it." She spits to the ground suddenly, "They're thunderhooves. Like rhinos, but twice as tall. End of their legs are huge stomping things that make the ground shake with each step. Creator help you if you're caught under them." The mouse isn't pregnant, just fat, but the mistake is not hard to make, "Not paying death benefits though. Those who make it back with the herd driven off will be rewarded just fine."
The indeed pregnant vixen nods, "That, sounds like it would be unpleasent." She digs through her pack a little while making sure her creater artifacts and medicines are all in order before shouldering it again and leaning lightly on her staff. She looks over to Eleni and smiles, "I'm not sure we've meet, Mirana, Lady Mirana Solacious, how do you do?" she says with a curtsey, and then a smile to both Bite and Cedric, "Good day to both of you as well, and, hello there, have we meet before?" she asks Sierra. Always a good idea to get to know people whom you will be fighting along side with, and likely fixing up after a fight as well.
Eleni waves back to Sierra. While her helmet would readily hide it, there's a smile on her face as the liones approaches. "Their loss, then." She replies a bit tersely, moving over to the albino who she greets proper. "Hey Sierra." The greeting from Mirana prompts her to turn back. "We have, 'Mirana'. Don't think danger is a good plan if ya happen ta be pregnant though."
Bite hisses "Alright sssweetheart, so thunderhooves are... afoot." She giggles a bit and shakes her head. "We just need to get them out of here? Or do we have to actually kill them?" The serpent flicks her tail once and waves to Sierra and Mirana, finally Cedric.
Cedric raises a brow as he treats the plump mouse to a curious look. Of course, it's under his helm's visor so it's probably not seen. Death benefits? Why would he care about anything like that if he were to die? He leaves the question alone though, for now. The badger nods to Mirana and lifts the visor of his helm. Black and white markings and light brown eyes. "We have, Lady Solacious." is all he says before lowering it again. He waves back to Bite before taking his spear from it's resting place across his shoulder, and makes sure it's in good repair before the group sets out.
The mouse reaches up to her straw hat and inclines it towards Mirana, "Ya betcha, m'lady. I'm Haily. So y'all taking this up then?" she asks, looking across the assembled faces. "If you can get them out of the country that's fine, but they're not real known for compromisin' any."
Mirana flinches slightly at Eleni's responce and ponders a moment. "Well, I'm very sorry, but some... odd gaps must be in my memory." She shakes her head, and smiles, "Well, I'm just going to have relay on you all to keep me safe, aren't I!" she says with a giggle, she has no intentions of being on the front lines. Pack shouldered, medicines ready, machine spirits appeased, she is ready to go! "Besides, if nothing else, I know Miss Bite will keep the nastry thunderhooves from causing much problem for anyone, let alone me!"
Sierra rolls her shoulders, rolls her neck, then slaps the arm of her golem and says, "We're ready enough. I don't expect death benefits, no one to really take it, but if this thing breaks I want some compensation, it's gear and gear isn't the same thing, big and walking or otherwise." Then she glances to the otehrs, wondering if she remembers too many of them. Mirana's question jogs her memory and she snaps her fingers, then says, "Oh yeah, we've met. You're nuts, twitchy sort, something about the outsiders or old ones. Should you really be on this mission? A bit dangerous yeah?"
Bite tilts her head and looks to Sierra, then giggles at Mirana. "Alright I'll keep an eye on you if you insist on going, but don't strain yourself." she hisses and shakes her head, looking around to be ready to go. "So lets go then."
Eleni scoffs audibly at the fox's response. "'M not a babysitter. Understand?" She replies austerely, looking over the others. "Well. There's no point in waiting." She states, a nod given to Bite's enthusiasm.
"I'm sure we can handle this." the badger assures the mouse, nodding his fluted helm to the being as he glances over at the others assembled. "Yes, I think we'll take this task on." he says with a nod and heads on over to where Bite is standing. He stays quiet while the others talk about Mirana's condition.
"Nope, nope," says the clever Haily the mouse, "You finish, I pay. You don't, I don't. That's the start and the end. Don't like it, I'll find someone else." She says this with a stomp of a foot, literally putting her foot down on the matter. She pulls out a roll of parchment, "Directions where they were saw last."
Mirana Sierra's comments give her pause, "I.. haven't a clue what you refer to Miss. And I'm fairly sure we've not meet before, but you look very capable!" And then to Eleni, "Well, in that case when it comes time to stop the bleeding, I'll save you for last!" She takes the parchment and looks it over, before handing it to Cedric and saying, "Yes, we can." Then, taking a moment to remove her pack again, she readies her machines.
Cedric takes a look at the parchment handed to him, and nods as he holds it out in front of him, giving the other beings in the hunting party the opportunity to view the directions scribed upon it.
Eleni Shrugs at Mirana's response, offering none of her own and instead commenting; "Ya have their previous location on there too? Might help if we're supposed ta be intercepting the things if they aren't where the map's marked anymore."
Sierra shakes her head and says, "No no, we've met, big tent with the monster menagerie. You were throwing up at one point. Uh... what did they call themselves, freaky things." She shrugs, then looks to the mouse and raps her knuckles on the golem's armor and says, "Yeah, no kidding, if we finish we finish, I'm saying when we finish I want compensation on broken gear if it's bad enough. Mercs are cheap, but how long're you really wanting to wait right?" Eleni's given a wave now that she recognizes the armored woman, more for her voice than anything.
The map has several marks, dated with spottings. They appear to be descending from the silvervein pass and moving through the forest towards more populated regions. They may even crash into Firmament, though what they could do to the city walls, or if they'd try, is unknown.
Cedric is no cartographer, and isn't as familiar with sweetwater as others here might be. He hands the map off to Bite to see what she can make of it. "I'm guessing that's eastbrook... eastbank... east-whatever forest over there. But not sure about some of these marks. What do you think?" he asks as he passes the parchment map over to the taipan.
Mirana thinks about the map she just memorized and tugs gently on Cedric's shoulder, "We are burning daylight, lets be going." She says, then looks back to Sierra, "Again, I've no clue what you discribe, but, it doesn't sound pleasent." With that, she starts off toward the city gates, in hopes of finding transport instead of having to walk to the forest.
There are wagons about, but most of the drivers have little interest on carting off into the forest after wild beast, but hey, there's one being rented out without a driver, just 100 crown and you get it for a week!
Eleni chuckles at the wave from Sierra, raising the visor of her helmet and giving her an amused expression. "Thought ya would recognise me a bit easier than that by now." The fennec comments to Sierra, murmuring something to the lioness.
Mirana looks to the person renting out the unmanned cart, "Sold." she says and hands the crowns over. She, and her machines, climb into it and she looks over her shoulder, "You lot coming? I'm about to head out without you all." she calls back, hoping she is heard. Her intentions is to have Cedric drive it, though she will if she must.
Mirana spends 100 Crown for RP reasons.
Sierra shakes her head quickly and says, "Hey uh, hey hey, if she's in charge, can we vote for a new leader? She's a few screws loose of an actuator, this uh, willfull ignorance of it or not, can we get someone that won't uh... yeah. Or maybe we could split up? I mean, enough of you look like the career sort, I'm sure we could, could maybe sort something out." She looks to Eleni after, shrugs and says, "Beats me, I'm not kidding about the toys in the attic, but she had others saying it. Maybe?"
The cart does come with a shaggy oxen like beast, willing to haul the cart wherever directed. It seems well enough trained, not minding new people clambering up onto its cart.
Cedric leaves the map with Bite and heads off towards the city gates with Mirana to look for transport, not wanting to let her wander off too far by herself in her state, without supervision. At the very least, he can defend her from harm, though he's not obligated to do so. He nods to the noblefox. "Seems like a decent enough carriage."
Eleni nods back to Sierra. "Noted. As for ya plan, I doubt she'd be in any condition ta command once we're there. 'M not opposed ta splitting up, but only if necessary. Too likely for someone ta get injured, and ya leave ya partner open ta attacks if ya try ta bring them to a rendezvous point." The woman opts in on the carriage, offering Sierra a hand with her golem.
Mirana nods to Cedric and sighs that he is the only one to follow along, "Would you mind driving Sir Cedric, and can you think of anything that would speed up our slower team mates. I fear that with just you to help, I'd have to stand in harm's way, and I'd honestly rather avoid that." She looks over her shoulder again, "Are you all coming or not, I know if this were Captain Sally yelling at you all, you'd be over here faster then I could hit the ground with my staff!"
Bite looks over the map she was given and hurries to board the car the group was given, having spaced out a little she stretches and readies herself for combat and action. "Okay sssweeties, lets get going!" she hisses and nods.
Cedric nods and climbs up into the driver's seat of the cart, taking the reigns of the cart-pulling oxen beasts. "Sure, I'll just need someone to direct me there... my sense of direction isn't that great."
Sierra nods to Eleni and says, "Good enough point, I mean, I hit things with wrenches, but I'm mostly just making sure Venator doesn't step on something I don't want it to." She hops onto the cart and adds, "Well, squish or stab. Good point either way." She begins laughing though, mostly at the vixen's decision to ignore the rest of it, though the last comment gets a confused look and she asks, "Sally? Dunno a Sally. I know an Eleni and uh, you're not a captain right Eleni? What about the others, do they even have rank, I don't think I've ever asked."
As the group gets moving, they enter the forest an hour later, sun still high in the sky. The first sign of trouble comes in the form of sudden rustling. Three gops come into view at different directions, advancing on the group with nothing good on their gooey minds that can be seen.
Bite watches the gops carefully, making sure to light them up with bits of fire magic before she takes a more leisurely go at using her knife and wind magics to take them out, finally opting to smack one with something she picks up out of the cart, probably someones belonging. She sets it back down and waits for the trip to progress.
Mirana presses some buttons on her machines, "By the will of the Great Creators, Spirits, protect us from harm." she announces and the machines get to work defending her team as repelling the Gops. She herself is quick with some earth magic or field doctoring to keep her allies up and fighting, though there isn't too much call for it. "Good! Wonderful to see everyone so capable." She ends by dusting off her hands and putting her medicines back in her pack.
Sierra watches her golem's movements for a moment before hopping from the cart and padding over to make a few adjustments, popping clasps and straps and reaching inside. She fishes around for a moment, makes a weird face, a blech sort of thing, then she fishes around a moment longer and yelps, jumping back before shaking her hand. Resecuring the clasps, she hops back onto the cart after wiping her hand off on the grass and muttering something about rodents in a gear. By the time she had gotten it operational proper, they gops were goo. She looks a bit annoyed that her field test is already a bit off.
Cedric calls down a rain of flaming arrows as the battle with the forest gops begins, seeking to burn them away with the battle math. He becomes so focused on the math that he doesn't notice one of the smaller gops approach him and strike him in the torso... in retaliation, a ghostly mount appears to trample the little creature into submission.
Eleni mutters something under her breath before she barks to at the other vixen - "Don't presume ta order or patronize me, girl." There's a distinctly annoyed tone to her voice, content enough to have put her spear through a gop and pummeling the other, necessary or not. "And ta answer ya earlier question, I was a sergeant, Sierra."
Once the gops are firmly convinced that there will be no easy thefts, they slink away in soft puddles, retreating to recover in the depths of the forest and allowing the party to continue forward. The path is rough, as always. The native plants of the forest are well known for their ability to regrow swiftly. It's said they used to be slower, that the act of making the world a perfect cradle for Beings made it all the better for these wooden behemoths.
Mirana hear Eleni and her memory is quite jogged! "The golem incident! I remember you now! Well, we can talk about orders and patronizing later, but for now we have a job to do, and if you prefer, instead of my name you can call me by my military rank, Captain Mirana Solacious, retired." She seems none too pleased with the other fox. She looks about and asks Bite and Cedric, "Well, the path doesn't look too accomidating for our cart, shall we continue on foot?" She shakes herhead a bit at Sierra's lack of preparidness.
Sierra leans over and says to Eleni, "If she's a Solacious and not just hallucinating it, she's probably a noble." She says it deadpan, making it hard to tell if she's being serious and answering the older question or being sarcastic. Then she smooths her skirt out and mutters, "Remind me to set traps out in the shop the next time you're there, I'll probably remember if I don't get sidetracked, but it's annoying getting them to behave when they've got gooey bits stuck inside." Then she blinks and murmurs, "Wonder if I could create contained mechanisms for that, reduce loose bits damage and critters getting in them." Her ears flick, she checks to make sure she was actually in the cart and leans back for now while she thinks. She leans forward and calls down to Cedric once she gets mentally caught up and sorted out, "Oi, nothing broken in there right? Dunno how bad a hit that was, hard to tell.. Might be able to help though."
Bite shakes her head. "I'd rather not leave the rented cart out here to get back on its own, unless this is one of yours. "It might be better to clear the path a little just enough to get by." she hissses, looking the two over curiously before shaking their head.
Eleni scoffs. "No. No we won't, 'Mirana'." the fennec replies bluntly. "Now tell us where we're headed so I can put my spear in something more substantial. Ya happen ta be looking like an appealing target right now." She growls before looking back to the lioness. "Probably the first option. As long as she stays out of my business and my way, we'll be just fine."
Cedric shakes his head, and knocks on his chestplate with the armored gauntlet of his right hand. "Little bit of bruising, but nothing serious. Thanks for asking, though." he says to the lioness. He looks between the cart, and the others and throws his shoulders up in a shrug. "If we're all in good condition, we should keep moving." he says with a nod, taking a look in the direction of the trail. "Well, I'm not familiar with the forest here, so I'll let you good beings decide how we get there."
Mirana nods to Bite, "If you think we can manage it." Then to Sierra, "Hallucin... why." Then she hears Eleni, "Are you honestly making a vailed threat? Are you here to fix your problems with me, or do a job? Also, do I need to talk to some guards when we get back about a Cliffsider making threats to a Sweetwater noble?" She shakes her head, "I'll deal with this when we get back, for now, Bite, Cedric, does the path look good enough to travel with the cart?" she asks, trying herself to gauge it as well.
The cart continues onwards, if a bit slower. The great shaggy beast pulls quite determinedly, at least until the ground shakes, which makes it stop instantly. Thump... Thump... Thump...
Eleni rolls her eyes. "Ta do a job, ya dolt. I ain't here ta make amends with ya, for whatever slight I made." She replies to Mirana flatly, no further comment. At the tremors, she disembarks immediately.
Bite frowns at the threats. "Sssweetie, you are, a Sweetwater noble as you said. Please act the part, you can't get petty over little things." she hishses to her friend, giving them a hug and rubbing their belly. She stops and listens. "They have to be close!" she hisses and looks at the map, trying to determine their distance form the thumpinig.
Sierra looks to Bite and asks, "So she really is a noble? Guess it's a good thing I didn't make a bet of it." She stifles a yawn then smiles to Cedric and says, "The big, goo covered guy here should help out" Gesturing to her golem with her wrench. At the stomping, she hops down from the cart and makes her way over quicker this time, getting the golem prepped ahead of time.
Mirana blinks a few times and nods to Bite. "However, I can't let some cliffsider think that they can insult and walk all over my and my house. This will be addressed." And she looks back to Eleni. At the thump thump, she disembarks as well, getting her machines ready. "Here we go, and lastly, Eleni, if you are here to do a job, act like it, and put your threats and feelings for me aside, sargent." With that, she gets another device out of her pack and ready to go.
Cedric pulls back the reigns of the shaggy beasts of burden pulling the cart at the quaking thump of their prey. Not that he needed to, really, as the cart-pulling beasts were happy enough to stop on their own. He's a little hesistant to leave the cart in case they decide they'd like to run off without the group... but he steps down anyway, grabbing his spear from the cart as he wanders towards the sound of the loud thunderhoof footsteps. The armored badger nods in agreement with Bite as he listens. "They can't be far off." he says, and looks to the others. "Yeah, he should be helpful... we've seen a golem like that in action, I think..." he says, although he can't really be sure it's the same make of golem. "Well, I'm prepared. We can set off in search of them as soon as you're all ready."
The forest parts, not willingly. The trees have been brushed aside and trampled, making a great mess of mashed and splintered wood under the great stomping feet of these... things. They have long gangly legs, but they terminate in huge crushing pods that do a great job clearing the path for them. There's about six of them of varying sizes, the smallest still twice as large as the oxen.
Eleni rolls her eyes. "Pull ya head in girl. 'M treating ya no different ta how I'd treat anyone else." She barks at the noble. "Ya don't make good impressions asking me what's in front a' ya when I'm working. And ya haven't done yaself any favors today either. Now Keep ya damn mouth shut and do whatever job a pregnant woman does on a battlefield." She barks, taking up a place near Sierra - albeit a little further forward to make use of her armor. "We have company."
Mirana is a bit more preoccupied with preparing to worry about Eleni's comments now, but she does make note to, and will address these things when she gets back to town. "I'll try to keep near the cart and keep it safe if it is a worry. I can be ready to patch you all up when you get back. Or, if we are not so worried about this, I could easily accompany you all, carrying kits or not." She'd avoided front line and taking little if any injury, so doesn't see the need to be so concerned.
Bite shakes her head and looks over the beasts, readying herself behind the more physically adept for combat.
