The one with the swamp cannibals - RPLOG
Participants
Date
26/9/477
Log
In the midst of the mangrove swamp, with all it's humid, insect buzzing glory undeterred by the nearby thunderstorm, stands a pair of royal rangers. A female fox of the arctic variety and a male iguana. They stand waiting for the freeswords they called for, making idle chatter to pass the time.
Elijah comes lumbering along th e trail wearing his work leathers to keep the worst of the buzzing hordes at bay. Though the smell of big, sweaty bear is considerably less
The sound of footsteps on wet ground can be heard as a young plant being arrives on the scene. Rokarion, wearing his usual body covering heavy cloak, stopped near the two rangers, his serene expression not affected by the sound of thunder nearby. Rokarion then nodded as a polite gesture to the two rangers, and said in his usual calm and polite tone, "Hail and well met. I am assuming this is the rendezvous point for those who are going into the swamp? I would appreciate it if you told us more about this whole situation, and what we know."
Elijah comes lumbering along the trail wearing his work leathers to keep the worst of the buzzing hordes at bay. Though the musk of big, sweaty bear is considerably less appealing than that of his Jasmine compatriot. Behind him, his huge golem, similarly a bear, though in stylized heavy armor trundles after him. "Reporting for duty," the burly grizzly rumbles, pulling his goggles down over his eyes to keep the midges away.
The pair turn to nod, nearly simultaneously, to the bear and jasmine. "This is the place. We don't have too many details for you, just that for the past month or so, many beings have been going missing. And, I know what you're probably thinking: The swamps dangerous. Still to have this many go missing... how many we up to now?" The fox speaks, and the iguana continues: "Close to a dozen now. And the last guy we sent hasn't come back yet. He was heading off to the west somewhere, last I heard."
Rokarion nods, great not much in the information department nothing like going in blind. Rokarion then added, "Very well. So, you expect that the best place to start is to the west?" The young jasmine then turned his gaze towards the west, his jasmine smell wafting around, and struggling against that of his temprorary comrade. He then shifts his gaze again to meet that of the bear, and speaks, tone unchanged, "Greetings Mister....Elijah I think? My name is Rokarion, I hope you will have better luck that whoever went before us. Are you ready?"
"Pleasure," Elijah grunts, extending a thick, meaty hand, "You can call me Eli." The burly bear spits and looks off to the west. "Ready as I'll ever be," he says, "Lead the way, Dire Bear." The grizzly pats his golem and allows it to march ahead, clearing the path as it goes. "Handy, ain't he?" the gruff bear chuckles.
Rainer just kind of... falls in behind Elijah and Rokarion shortly after the pair have begun their trek through the swamp. He's actually following them for a minute or so before he finally offers a cheerful "Hey guys!"
The rangers don't have much more to add for Elijah and Rokarion, aside from: "Yeah, guy went off to the west, hasn't come back. A shame; handsome man too..." The fox clear her throat. "You didn't hear that. Go west, you'll probably find something. Or, something'll find you."
The golem tears through the underbrush; not that there is much in mangrove swamp. The travelling towards the western, darker swamp is a noisy affair; insects buzzing about, belchers making.... belcher sounds... The thunder off in the distance simply adding to the atmosphere. 'Tis quite dark; to the point where a light source would help greatly.
Rokarion shakes the bear's paw, and nods, "Indeed quite helpful." Before moving behind the bear, and giving a nod to Rainer as he arrives, look the crazy wolf is here hopefully he won't get stuck under lizards today. Glancing the area, Rokarion notices how dark it is, shurgging as he walks. Some movement can be noticed from the back of his cloak, and soon enough a vine tipped with a smaller jasmine blossom, pops out of the cloth, behind Rokarion's neck , before rising a couple of inches above his head. Rokarion's body begins to gllow faintly, but the glow begins disppearing and focusing around the smaller blossom on the tip of the prehensile vine. Soon enough the small blossom begins radiating a white light as strong as that of a lantern, illuminating the area around the group.
"Well," Eli snorts, "Isn't that something." The grizzly lumbers along into the underbrush after Rokarion. "How far do you think they got out here?" he rumbles.
"You do realize that thing basically makes you a big ol' walking bullseye, right?" Rainer quickens his pace to come up alongside Rokarion just long enough to pose this question, then immediately beings to lag behind again. "How far did who get?" So he apparently has no idea what they're doing out here, he just... saw them and decided to tag along.
As the group moves on further into the dark, a smell similar to charring meat wafts out from somewhere ahead. No time to question that yet, as from out of the treeline comes a belcher. It imediately lets out a hiss and adopts a threatening posture. It's wounded; probably adding to its aggression as it sends its spines towards Rainer!
Rokarion looks at Rainer and answers, tone unchanging, "Actually Mister Rainer while you would believe so it is not the case. A light source directly above my head would be unexcpected as most normal light sources like lanterns are held near one's head on a frontal angle. The current location of the light source would make any marksmen believe that the person is standing behind and a bit nearer to the light source which would probably make them aim there.....as for animals and other melee combatants then I guess you could say I will be their first target until they spot others." Satisfied with his answer, Rokarion keeps on following the golem, allowing Rainer to get back to his place. As the group moves, Rokarion suddenly spots the smell of charred flesh even coming stronger to his sense of smell that his own sweet scent, but he has no time to focus on it as he spots a wounded animal aiming for Rainer. Not willing to bet on the Wolf's reflexes, because of last time, Rokarion immediately utters a couple of equations and attempts to form a protective layer around the wolf.
Elijah grins at the wild belcher, flexing his golem-clad Left hand. "I got 'im!" he rumbles, pulling back his arm and letting loose with a speedy haymaker at the wounded beast. "But it looks like we're going the right way!" he says, wrinkling his nose at the stink, "Or smells it, at least!"
"Please," said with a light chuckle, "Mister Rainer is my -father-." The wolf pauses a moment immediately after saying it. "Well, possibly." At which moment, a disgruntled local decides to come out of the woodwork. Natch, Rainer is smooth as ice going for his sword, right up until he's suddenly surrounded by rock. "GAH!" A bit of flailing, and down he goes on his fluffy hindquarters.
The belcher is struck right in the head; with a golem grasper. The skull of the already wounded belcher cracks, splits, splinters... It's dead. No question. The spines it fired off strike the fallen wolf, the stone flesh stopping 'em all with no problems before it splinters and falls away. Belcher falls limp as another attacks from the other side; sending another blast of spines at Rokarion.
Rokarion raises an eyebrow at the strange reaction of Rainer, but has no time to waste as he sees another belcher aim this time for him. Not having enough time to properly dodge or cast a calcified flesh on himself, Rokarion decides to improvise, and with a quick gesture from his hand and an equation uttered a soft breeze originates from his location and gains speed and power as it interrupts the spines causing them to scatter harmlessly around the area.
Elijah laughs, a great, booming belly laugh. "Ha! No one said this was gonna be a slug out!" The burly bear takes a hop forward and aims a swift kick at the blecher, steel glittering in the small gap made between his overalls and boot. Looks like there is more to this bear than meets the eye!
Rainer pulls himself back to his feet, face contorting in disgust. This being a swamp and all, his landing was... not dry, suffice to say. "Guh... warn me before you math me! ...or better yet don't math me at all." He finally gets his sword out, but seeing as Elijah seems to have things under control over there, he keeps an eye out for more of the little buggers should they decide to come out to play too. "Adventurer Rule Number 19: Divine Math causes more trouble than it fixes!"
Elijah's kick strikes the belcher in the ribs; snapping several of its ribs with his support frame enhanced strength. It gets thrown several feet through the air; hits the ground, squirming and making noise. Bad noise. Pain and anguish fills the air, more or less.
No other belchers spring out of the line of mangroves; seems there was only two.
Rokarion raises a petalled eyebrow at Rainer as he speaks, before answering in his polite tone, "Very well Mister Rainer, your wish is my command. I shall no longer attempt aiding you using mathemagic." Rokarion then glances the area, and adds in, "Now I believe we should carry on our way. Mister Rainer would you kindly end the misery of that poor creature? I would rather not let it suffer anymore than it should." With that Rokarion keeps the treck to the west, the vine over his head raising itself a couple of extra inches upwards, probably just to make it a further target from himself.
"And that's how we handle problems in the Engineer Corps, gentlemen!" Elijah says, flexing a bit, then continuing on after his golem. "Bet our lost boys are just up ahead!" he says.
Rainer's eyes fall half-lidded as Rokarion insists, over and over, on addressing him so formally, but he says nothing of it... maybe because the wailing of the injured belcher is a bigger nuisance and distraction at the moment. "Yeah, 'course." Over he plods, biting his lip as he readies his blade over the poor beast. "This would be a really bad time for you to be dull." the wolf seems to be talking to himself, and down goes the sword to seperate head from rest of body. "...ugh, they smell even worse on the inside."
The group moves on with no incident. Several minutes pass, rain slowing as the smell of cooking meat grows stronger.
It isn't long before the freeswords find themselves before a moderately sized shack; the smell clearly coming from within.
Outside stands a young raccoon woman; simply dressed, the only thing strange about her being the plague mask hanging around her neck. Metal, with red glass lenses. As she sees the group, Rokarions light making it impossible to stay hidden, she smiles and waves to them. "Hello! Don't get many visitors out here!"
Rokarion stops as he spots the shack and the lady. Rokarion glances about. Seeing nothing else of possible interest or threat, the plant moves closer to the raccoon, wafting his scent as he goes, but fails to discern if her apparent affability is fake or not; on the other hand, the whole scene is still quite suspicious no matter how you look on it. Rokarion nods to the lady, and says in his usual polite and calm tone, "Hail and well met Madam. I assume this is your home? If I can intrude, may I ask why is a lady such as yourself living out here in the swamp? Surely there are other places to live in." Rokarion noticed the mask from before, but decided not to ask about it just yet. He also glanced the shack again, maybe she was not alone out here.....and maybe the smell of the meat might have an even more morbid reason.
Elijah lumbers after his giant golem and casts a wary eye on the swamp woman. "Nice er. . . accessory, lady," he says, "Where did you get a thing like that?" He sticks close to his oversized mechanical buddy. "You seen anybody else coming this way?" he asks.
Rainer steps out from the back to fall in line with Rokarion as they reach the cabin, all smiles and friendly waves, sword well since tucked back away in its scabbard where it's nice and nonthreatening. "Nice weather, eh?" he adds to the slew of questions bombarding the poor old crazy swamp lady.
The raccoon continues to smile; right up until the mask is asked about. "Oh, the mask? Got it from some wolf who was passing through. Said he was looking into some disappearance or other. He left a while ago..." Immediate, jarring topic change: "This is my home, yes. I live with my husband and son. I'm not alone." She crosses her arms, smile returning. "And no, noone aside from that wolf. Not many come into the darker parts of the swamp. If you aren't too busy, can come in for dinner?" She glances at Rainer; "The rain? It's nice enough I suppose... Come inside, it's more dry in there."
Rokarion nods, and looks back at his compatriots, "So, I think all of us realize who that wolf might be?" Rokarion then looks back at the raccon lady and thinks for a moment, rain droplets hitting his double blossom of a hair. Rokarion then answers, "I do not think we should prolong our stay here, but if my comrades wish it I see no reason why not, but first may I see your husband and son? I would like to introduce myself to them." Rokarion then glances the shack, before glancing his allies again, and finally levelling his gaze on the woman.
"We're supposed to be looking for some missing folks too," Elijah says, "Didn't know that knucklehead had been out here." The bear lumbers over to look over his golem, making sure that everything is in good order. "Maybe your family saw somebody else round here?" he offers, "Would help us out a lot." The burly grizzly can't imagine that Thelergramor left his mask here on purpose. "What did the wolf say when he stopped by?" he asks.
"Well that's mighty neighbourly of you." Rainer strides right forward no sooner is the offer extended, putting forth his hand for the shaking. A look turned over his shoulder as plant and bear loiter with their scrutiny and suspicion. "You'll have to excuse my friends, they don't get out much." Head turns back to the raccoon and he exaggeratedly mouths the words "not at all" while slowly shaking his head, immediately after putting forward his biggest smile again. "Rainer, by the way. You've maybe heard the name... Cliffside War veteran, master explorer, hero..."
The lady, slightly taken back by the approach and handshake after the slight supsicion she picked up on, shakes the hand of Rainer. "Hero you say? Never had a hero in my house..." Looking back to the others: "What'd the wolf say? Just asked if we knew anything about the abductions. We told him we couldn't help him, and my husband sorted him out when he became belligerant. I think he was drunk." She turns towards her shack; tail swaying behind her. "If you want to meet the family, follow me." She smiles, then walks quickly through the door, holds it open for the rest. "Oh, and the golem, I'm not sure I want one of those in my home. Heard bad things about 'em losing it and smashing things. Like that wolf."
Rokarion stares at the wolf, if he was amused then his unchanged serene expression sure did not show it. More importantly, the young plant being ignored the apparent insult and the boasting of the wolf, and simply waited for the others to act. If they entered, then Rokarion would follow them, but for now he was happy as he is, standing and enjoying the rain falling on his double blossom.
"Yeah, yeah, fine," Elijah grumbles, "He can stay outside." The bear directs his golem to stand under the eaves of the house, though it is a tight fit. "Not good with people," he admits, "Sorry for the touble." Looks like Rainer has the right idea.
Rainer gives the raccoon lass' hand a firm but gentle squeeze throughout their handshake, making a point of looking her square in the eyes. "Well, I promise you we'll be much more grateful of your hospitality. Won't we, fellas?" A look thrown over his shoulders with the question, his smile briefly waning and eyebrows raising at jasmine and bear. The pup just continues to prattle on as he crosses the threshold of the cabin, "In fact, I'd be happy to take a stab at fixing anything your last guest might have broken. Granted I'm not much of a handyman but I can be -awfully- persistent."
Seems the group missed the trigger word: abductions. As Rainer steps through the door, he is greeted by a rather standard one room shack. The raccoon woman remains at the door. "Go, have a seat at the table; dinner should be ready soon." Another raccoon, a big burly man, stands in front of a metal rack over a fire. Meat searing on it. "Guests? Glorious! You can taste my meat!" Boisterous, it seems.
There is a table to the right; large enough only for two or three beings. The left, is a door that leads somewhere.
Those who enter will of course also notice a black coat lying on a bench; chainmail beside it along with a number of different weapons. And a scarf.
Rokarion shrugs, and looks as the wolf quickly enters the shack, well seems that his adventuring rules lack one for caution or common sense. Fearing the worst happening to the naive wolf, the jasmine shakes his head and follows after Elijah. Upon entering he notices the equipment in the room, but decides to remain silent for the time being and guage his comrades' reactions. Well on the brightside the shack smells of sweet jasmine now.
Yup, the stupid wolf's gear. Peachy. "What're you cooking?" he rumbles, looking at the big guy by the fire, "Didn't think there was anything that meaty out here." The burly bear snuffles at the air.
Rainer was not there for the briefing, in his defense. Also questionable he even notices the garments and gear decorating the bench and its surroundings, as soon as the man of the house greets them he throws wide his arms and lets out a cheer that segues directly into delighted laughter, like he was greeting a longtime friend. "Now here's a fella who can belt out a song! Am I right? Hey, you don't mind if I dry off a bit here by the fire, eh? I'll be careful not to drip on dinner!" Seriously, what's the opposite of Spidey Sense? Because that has to be what Rainer has.
The burly raccoon shrugs. "Can get plenty of meat... Some of the bigger belchers'll bring you a nice steak. Other times, y'get lucky with what wanders through." He nods to Rainer. "Go right ahead. Make yourself at home." Taking the meat and placing it on the table, the raccoon gestures. "Eat if you want. We have more. can't use all we got before it goes bad and starts to stink. I'm Gren. My wifes Angela, son, who's downstairs, is Bill. He should be done down there soon..." Angela just continues to smile, before heading downstairs, through the closed door left of the main door, saying: "I'll go get 'im. Be back in a moment."
Rokarion looks around, trying to figure out this puzzle, before asking the large man, "May I ask what is your son doing downstairs? Do you butcher the animals there? I think it would be a good option to prevent the stink from wafting around." The jasmine keeps on glancing the room after he speaks, waiting to see if the bear might do something because the wolf sure isn't.
"Can I help?" Elijah ask, immediately opening the door after Angela closes it and before anyone can stop him, "I'm pretty good with heavy lifting." He does not wait to be stopped, moving quickly into the next room, as is befitting an eager housguest.
"Must've been tough findin' a solid enough spot to -have- a downstairs this far out in the muck." Rainer remarks, while he wrings out handfuls of his fur, as well as his pants, onto the floor in front of the crackling fire. "Your family's been living out here a while then, eh? I mean... hard to judge the age of the place 'cuz I'm sure the wood doesn't hold up too long under these conditions, you and the missus just got that whole country vibe y'don't get from city folk... like these two." Glowers aimed at Rokarion and Elijah each.
The door is almost immediately slammed on Elijah; though he manages to hold it open so he can step past. Angela protests: "No, no, stay up here. I've got it." Behind her, the bear can see that it isn't so much a basement as a hole in the ground. Flickering candles light a bit of the room, though detail can't be seen. A muffled sound comes from within. As if someone is trying to call for help. Quite audible to those on the stairs.
Gren pulls a pistol from his belt, points it at Elijah. "Get away from there!" Rainer is mostly ignored, his politeness lost in the heat of the moment. The question about animal butchering will go unanswered it seems...
