Monster Hunter, The Swampy Second - RPLOG
Participants
Date
8/5/478
Log
The swamps are muggy and oppressively hot in the late afternoon and midges, mosquitoes and all their bloodsucking ilk are out in abundance. The rangers at the outpost directed all interested hunter out here to the edge of the mangrove forest. Waiting on one of the few bits of dry ground is a female pangolin in ranger garb with a clever clan seal placed prominently on her shoulder. She has a crossbow ready and is peering around warily, even as the Freeswords approach.
Cara walks through the swamp, axe in hand. As she wades through the much, she smirks upon noticing the pangolin in ranger garb. She waves and makes her way over to her. "Hello, I'm here to help." The feline takes a look at the crossbow for a second and smiles, "I see that you've come prepared as well."
Despite her fondness for excessive amounts of armour, Lucasiel knew when it was and wasn't a good idea to wear it. Swamps were no place for heavy armour, so today she's chosen to dress in a light metal breastplate over a leather tunic and a matching pair of pants. The only other armour on her were her gauntlets. Still carrying that massive axe, though. "Swamp troubles that the Rangers alone couldn't handle? I am curious, now."
Kalt humms gently to herself as she makes her way through the swamp, the Vixen's tail flicking a bit behind herself as she seems to be in slight contemplation before taking notice of their employer(?). A small dip of her head to the woman as she adjusts her bladed gauntlets with a smile, and double checks her gilded armor. "Evenin'!" She chimes out to the Pangolian, and any fellow freeswords whom arrive.
Zuri arrives shortly after. The small salamander is dressed in practical armour, a chain hauberk worn over a cotton tunic, lightweight but still protective. He peers behind him at the jasmine being following in close proximity with a smile before strolling over to the gathering group. He offers a polite nod at those gathered, except Kalt who receives a bright smile. "Howdy folks."
Rokarion stifled a yawn as he walked after the salamander, the plant being clad in his usual body-covering heavy cloak. The nonchalant looking youngling glances all the mercenaries grouping up near the pangolin as he closed in himself, "I hear there is an unusual creature that you are having trouble with?" he asks idly. With such disinterest one wonders why did he even bother showing up.
Shizuko follows Lucasiel through teh swamps to the Rangers' outpost; the older leopardess is fully armed, and she moves with an easy grace as she picks her way through the terrain. As she reaches the outpost she gives the pangolin a nod, then stands and listens for the briefing.
The Pangolin puts a finger to her thin lips, and waves the newly arrived freeswords closer. As the gather, she points out into the mangroves. About 100 feet away (30 meters) the haunch of some sort of large bovine hangs above the surface of the swamp with flies and midges swarming about it wildly.
The ranger cups a hand to her ear. The group is suddenly made aware that the normal chorus of birds and swamp beasts has fallen silent and waves lap gently along the mangrove roots. In normally stagnant water. The pangolin carefully aims her crossbow toward the hanging haunch.
Suddenly, the water boils and something huge lunges from the water! There is an impression of teeth, teeth and more teeth, the twanging sound of a crossbow, and then it is gone, along with the half a cow!
Cara raises an eyebrow from the now bleeding husk of a cow. "Okay, well, it looks like we're hunting today. I'll get it out of the water." A small smile comes to her lips as a plan comes together. From the safe distance, she begins to concentrate as water math begins to gather around her. After a few seconds, the water math is sent directly over to the lake that the beast is inhabiting in her attempt to get the beast onto land. Hopefully, the land will slow it down.
Lucasiel raises her brow at the sight and lets out a low whistle, tugging her hood up. "That certainly is a creature. Unfortunately, I can't really do anything about it as long as it's under the surface."
Kalt blinks a bit as the remains of the bovine meal is removed, the vixen raising an eyebrow before she offers a belated wave to Zuri as she smirks. "Well then, let's go gettin' out here. Don't go bein' 'fraid to get yer weapons ready." The Vixen takes off on a slow walk forward, standing farther out than the group in what is hopefulyl ankle deep swamp water as she lowers her body in a prepatory maner... Ready to either shoulder a smaller thing, or dodge from a bigger beast... Hopefully that is. Her voice is low as she gently sings near that water, her words carrying out as she seems intent on drawing it forth.
"Holy Diver, you've been down too long in the midnight sea. Oh what's becoming of me~?"
Zuri jolts as the creature makes itself known by the gruesome spectacle of a cow being devoured in the blink of an eye. The little salamander draws his two paired weapons and darts to the side, parting from the center of the group and circling around. He hopes that the beast will be drawn to the bigger, noisier beings and that he will be able to attack it from the sides.
Rokarion raises an eyebrow before idly taking out his trusty book from underneath his cloak, "Fascinating, and what kind of creature is that?" Rokarion asked idly, "Is it a native denizen of the swamp, because it must have traveled a long distance otherwise, and this place is hardly a favourable environment for the being." Done with his comment, the plant being remained silent for a while as he mentally prepared a calcified flesh spell.
Shizuko takes a long moment to consider the water-beast full of teeth, then slides her miao dao - a two-handed scimitar - out of its sheath. "I see. Fascinating. I will stand guard on the mages until we have a plan."
The water surges and swirls under the influence of Cara's magic, spitting a few horned belchers and some pale fish onto the shore but producing no more results.
The pangolin finally speaks. "You won't get it that way," she says, "The thing has already gone back to its hidey hole." She points to a distant mangrove, a real monster with roots that form a cave like entrance. "Thing is immune to every poison we've tried and just shatters our traps." She looks at Rokarion. "Pretty sure it's native," she says, "Just bigger than any of the critters I've seen. We rangers aren't much suited to a head on fight. Thing took two of our best when we tried to take it out in its den. Fed it enough sedatives to knock out a bone dragon for a week. Didn't even slow it down. Thing is bloody fast in the water, but it will feed on land. That's why we set this up. The crossbow was really just a shot in the dark. Any questions?"
Cara quickly turns to face the ranger, "That would have been useful to know before I tried to get it out of the water." The feline sighs and yells out to the marble fox in the water, "It's not in there any longer." She rolls her eyes and concentrates once again, this time intending on making everyone a bit more maneuverable in water.
"How do you sedate a bone dragon?" Lucasiel muses, adjusting the weight of her axe on her shoulder. "So... We go to it's lair and try to get it in there, then. Well. We have our work cut out for us! Hopefully it'll be amphibian enough to be on land."
Kalt crosses her arms and furrows her brow in contemplation. "... Whelp. Ya heard her, guessin' we're goin' into the root cave an' all." The Vixen nodding solemly as she turns to shuffle in the direction of the root cave, watching the water as she tries to not slip into the deeper water. "If'n we go pullin' it out, or gettin' up close to it, I can go keepin' it's eyes on me when ya lot go for attackin' it."
The Vixen's tail swishes behind herself as she continues to make her way, gently singing to herself, with just enough volume for those around her to hear as she does so. "Men of Firment, stop yer dreamin'... Can't ya see their spear points gleamin', See their warrior penant's streamin' to this battle field~" She's not speeding up in her run, eyes rapt on the water before her as she waits for the other to either catch up or follow along to the cave entrance!
Zuri was already setting himself up to leap upon the beast once it emerged from the water, but it never did. He paces slowly back towards the group, keeping his eyes on the churning muck of the swamp. "Yea, I guess the question is, did any of you bring a cannon along?" He giggles and follows along with Kalt. "We'll have to figure out a way to cripple or pin it somehow, if it moves that fast in water it might just overwhelm us without much effort."
Rokarion looks at the ranger, "So if it is a native species then tell us about it." the plant being said, "What kind of species is it? Any habits we should know about?" he asked before moving closer to the swamp, equations running through his mind as he began summoning an elemental from the swamp water.
Shizuko looks over at the pangolin ranger and nods her head at Rokarion's question. "I have not seen something like that before," she says, ears perked as she waits for the details. "It looks vicious."
The pangolin shakes her head. "Don't know much," she says, "We're finding new critters out here every week. Just gotta assume that they are natural and not crawlin' out of Spirit holes or something." She slogs along part of the way with the others. "Y'ever see a Croc?" she asks, "One of the old ones, not a being? It's sort of like that, only longer and slimy and with a lot more legs and a lot more teeth. I haven't seen much more than teeth and scales when it takes bait." The ranger stops and waves, climbing a mangrove. "Here's where I leave you Freeswords," she says, "Good luck!"
With Cara's help, the going is easier, the water seeming to give less resistance as they walk, and Rokarion's elemental rises from the muck alongside the party. So far, the water is no more than waist deep and maybe a little higher on an average being, but it is murky and the mud is treacherous as they draw near the entrance to the mangrove cave.
Cara smiles from that information and continues walking along on, noting a small amount of resistance to movement in the muck. As the feline walks along she grits her teeth, "Err, maybe I better add one more water blessing." The feline concentrates for a moment on getting the same water math correct, thankful for learning water magic in the first place.
Lucasiel adjusts her grip on the haft of her axe as they cross through the swamp, largely keeping quiet, until they start getting closer. "Do we have a plan? Working with an unknown creature might make it hard to work around, but it'd be nice to have something in mind."
"Ain't gonna pretend like m'havin' a good plan. Honestly, m'plannin to draw it on out, get a look at wot it is, then go beatin' it appropriatly. Tried an' true method that is." The Vixen stopping near the entrance of the cave as she taps her chin for a moment. "So it weren't a fan of them last to... Lets see..." The Vixen moving to smack her claws together in a slightly rhythmic manner. "So, lets go seein' if'n it wants a fight out here hm?" The Vixen humming along to the rhythmic pounding of her fists as she doesn't break into open song, instead opting to peer into the tunnel to see how far she could see, before stepping inside as she continue to humm and gently smack her claws together. gently to herself.
Zuri weaves through the group to be closer to Rokarion. The small salamander somehow still expects an ambush, and up until they enter the creature's lair he keeps his attention on the group's flanks. He nods at Kalt's words. "We may just have to improvise. See how it reacts to our presence."
Rokarion shrugs as he idly walks with the group, the muddy elemental moving next to him, "Not really enough time for a plan if you just keep on acting." he tells Shizuko before looking at Zuri and shrugging, "I am not paying you any extra for any unnecessary risks you take." the plant being tells his employee.
Shizuko shrugs her shoulders at Rokarion. "I am staying near, I'm not going to let you walk off alone." She sticks with the group, moving carefully through the muddy water and not terribly upset at getting her clothes muddy.
The sound of splashing water and of tearing meat and cracking bone comes from within the swamp cave. Sounds like someone is having dinner. More importantly, it sounds like they are having it out of the water. Unfortunately, the cave is very dim. Some evening light filters down through the mangrove roots, but at best it only manages to add a dappled greyness to alleviate the pitch darkness, though it does give some sense of the large space. The water has also become shallower here, only coming up to the knees of an average sized being. Kalt's banging and singing do not go unnoticed, of course. The crunching and tearing within the cave go suddenly quiet, followed by the faint sound of rippling water as something slips into the unseen waters of the cavern.
Cara stays quiet and waits for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. There's no point in attempting to fight an enemy that you can't see. The feline brings up her axe, ready to chop away at the monster that might attempt to attack her if the marble fox doesn't keep the attention on herself.
Lucasiel slings her axe down into both hands as they step into the cave, holding it parallel to her waist. "Keep on your guard," she says, as if it needed saying at all. "We don't really know where it could be, and sometimes those big things can be awfully sneaky. We don't want to lose an arm or a leg by stepping somewhere we shouldn't."
And there, was the target. Kalt goes still for a moment, spreading her stance wide as she continued forward, the Vixen's gaze intently watching the water before herself... She'd have to keep watch for even the slightest deviation in the water, while tryint to keep this thing away from her fellows. Soon enough, the Vixen begins to sing once more, continuing to move ahead of the group, with her claws at the ready for a quick slash into the water! "Fear not this night, ya will not go astray... Though shadows fall, still the stars find their way. Wakened from a quiet sleep, hear the whisperin' of the wind. Awaken as the silence grows in the solitude of the night..."
Zuri nods at Rokarion, clearing his throat. "Yes sir." He wades into the mucky water, which comes up to waist high for the short being. He hangs back from the rest of the group, letting the taller beings press ahead. He peers up, trying to figure out how much headroom they have for improvising with air math. This may require some strange maneuvers to avoid being cornered by the creature.
Rokarion shakes his head and looks at Shizuko, "Not going to stray, you can keep your protection to the lady Solacious, she needs it more." ROkarion answers back before moving closer to Zuri, "Kalt, you are wasting our time and going to hurt yourself." the plant being said in a rather blunt fashion before the double flower on his head began shining, offering a degree of illumination for the group, "I do wonder why no one brings a torch these days."
Shizuko tilts her head to the side for a moment as she listens to Rokarion, then shrugs her shoulders. She tenses as Kalt pounces, then quickly moves forward to stand with the lady Solacious.
It is silent in the cave, and Rokarion's gentle glow illuminates the flat surface of the shallow water as well as the damp, but firm land toward the back of the cavern. The torn and scattered remains of the bovine haunch from the creature's earlier attack lies half eaten.
Suddenly the water before the party erupts and there is a flash of teeth as SOMETHING lunges at Kalt!
Cara quickly turns to face the large beast, but unfortunately misses it. The tigress groans loudly and readies her axe once again. The only thing she can do now is to just sit and wait for it to show up again. Thankfully, the jasmine man lit up the tunnel dodging will be slightly easier next time.
Bingo! Kalt takes a dive forward to the right side as the beast lunges at her, the vixen tucking and rolling through the water as she comes back up, raising her voice loud now. "Fear not this night, ya will not go astray!" Her claws coming up as she attempts to make a forward lunge at where the creature had lunged at her from! "Though shadows fall, still the stars find their way!" Seems she didn't much care for Rokarion's suggestion as she belts out her melodous music at this point! An attempt to strike the beast from the vixen, and her song attempting to creature the focused on her as the Vixen works to hide that grin.
Lucasiel quickly brings her axe up and around, dropping into a ready stance. "Kalt, watch ou-" The creature lunges before she finishes, but at least it seemed that Kalt was on the ball with it already. While Kalt fusses with the creature's front, Lucasiel turns and runs off towards the back of the cave, intent on hitting the flank she saw still on land.
Zuri gasps as the creature surfaces, and right next to Kalt too! He wades forward with his blade held defensively as he seeks the best angle to attack from. With a huff he launches himself forward, his fine blade aiming for the creature's knee.
Rokarion eyes the creature as it suddenly lunges at the vixen, not a moment after does the plant being positions himself on the appropriate angle to send air scythes directly at the beast mid-lunge.
Shizuko lunges forward as the beast snaps at Kalt, blade rising. She moves along side of it and sweeps her blade down in an arc as flickers of Creator fire trail along the edge of the sword. Shizuko lets out a shout as she strikes, focused on the battle now.
The beast dives back into the water, the ripples of its attack hiding its passage in the shallow water. Kalt only manages to graze the speedy thing as she dodges its vicious strike, while Lucasiel is too slow to reach its exposed tail before it slips into the murky water. Zuri gets lucky in his dive, slamming hard into a slimy body, though his little knife is at a poor angle to do much damage. Maybe if he can hold on he will be able to do some damage! And Rokarion's magic elicits a gurgling hiss of rage from the creature, forcing it to surface momentarily when it is struck by the air scythes. Shizuko also manages to score a strike, though it is hard to tell what kind of damage she has dealt. The water is not very deep at all, but the creature seems to be almost serpentine. Its skull is long and tapered in a vicious looking, crocodillian jaw on the end of a thick, arm length neck. The rest of its body remains obscured beneath the muddy water.
Cara hefts her axe as she dashes directly over to the beast. Once she gets close enough, she jumps into the air and swings her axe down onto the beast as hard she can.
Lucasiel sets off after the creature through the water at a brisk walking pace. Sooner or later, she'll catch up to -some- part of its body, and when she does, she'll start chopping.
Kalt doesn't wait, her song halting as she jumps forward, both of her fists slamming down as she tries to stab into where she believes the beast to be. "GET YER ARSE BACK HERE YA THIN TOOTHED SONNUVABITCH!" Ah yes. View the noble grace of a fox on the hunt... Jumping face first, while cursing. Majestic.
Rokarion looks around in the murky waters and sighs before moving towards the piece of land that the crocodile was laying on while he was eating the cow. He would then scout his surroundings from his better angle.
Cara's axe manages to find purchase in some part of the beast, spurring it to thrash and flail, revealing it's great length in the water. Kalt's blow also lands, though the head is speeding away toward the land at the back of the cavern!
Shizuko watches as the form slips into the water and holds herself at the ready, preparing to strike again if it surfaces once more; as Cara's attack causes the thing to lash and reveal itself, she strikes again, chopping with her sword once more.
Zuri withdraws his knife, the blade glinting in the air as he switches it to a reversed grip. The salamander climbs up the creature's leg, his prehensile tail swaying and curling to aid in his balance, and once he has enough reach to aim for the creature's thigh he stabs, seeking to drive his blade in to twist and lacerate the creature's flesh - hopefully before he gets kicked off!
Kalt yanks her claws back as she pulls herself from the water and spits out some to the side, knowing full well jumping in with the axes flying right now would be a bad idea on a target that small... Instead, the vixen merely opts to cover the exit as she watches for whomever lands the killing blow.
The monstrous thing lunges onto land, dragging Zuri with it and careening straight toward Rokarion! The monster seems to be some sort of crocodile, salamander hybrid, with rubbery, slimy skin, with hard, bony plates on its head and on the reptillian knees of its many legs and down its long spine and tail. Somehow, Zuri manages to hold on and wedges a knife into one of the beast's knee joints! Shizuko also lands a powerful blow to the monster, though it does not bite deeply.
Cara lands back into the muck. She turns around, smiles broadly, and yells out, "That's more like it!" Her axe begins to drip venom and she runs through the muck once more. A smile full of joy flashes across her face occurs and she leaps up into the air and attempts to slam her axe into the creature's forehead.
When the serpent lunges, Lucasiel brings up her axe and swings it into the course of its leap, trying to use its own momentum against it to sink the blade even deeper.
Kalt raises her right foot, and slams it down into the water as she attempts to channel what earth magic she can, into disloding this creatures stability, and hopefully managing to drive small little spikes out of the earth into the creature.
The leopardess takes a moment to gather her strength, and then she dashes forward, following the thing up onto land. With a savage roar, Shizuko drives her assault into the croc-monster, blade a blur of steel.
Rokarion stifled a yawn as he looked around for the beast before it suddenly came lunging for him. Without wasting time, the plant being quickly side stepped the beast, ordering his elemental to attack it before he did the same with another spell of cutting winds, aimed at the monsters belly, "The creature's underbelly is smoother, try focusing on that." the plantling added.
The thing is not any slower on land than it was in the water, its many legs rolling it along swiftly. While Cara's strike is powerful, the muddy water slows her enough that she is unable to keep up with the slimy beast as it leaves the water. The serpentine thing jerks away from Lucasiel's attack, throwing off it's wild aim and protecting Rokarion as it careens toward the wall of water that is his elemental. Between the elemental and suddenly finding Shizuko's axe lodged deeply in its tail, the creature is slammed to a halt! It throws back its head in a gurgling shriek of rage and starts to thrash about madly!
Lucasiel quickly plants her axe on the ground and draws her sword in its place, stepping forward once the creature tosses its head back and taking a swipe towards the underside of its neck. "This thing certainly is long," she comments off-handedly.
Cara dodges the flailing creature by taking a small hop backwards. As soon as the feline lands, she runs over to the creature and swings her axe in a horizontal fashion so as to avoid the salamander on top of it. The intended target is the side of the beast though.
And here was a more opportune moment, the Vixen calmly walking forward to close the distance between the group and the creature as she humms gently to herself. "Ya got it right on the ropes, let me go an' give ya a hand!" THe Vixen then breaking into a sprint as she tries to muscle her way through the water, and deliver a heavy jumping blow against the creature!
Lucasiel and Cara each manage glancing blows against the thrashing, serpentine monster, only to get everything set as Kalt comes flying in to land with crushing force on the monster's neck at the base of its skull! There is a horrific SNAP and the beast's thrashing intensifies for a moment before it goes limp, a bloody froth leaking from the corners of its cavernous maw.
Shizuko relaxes as the beast goes limp, then nods her head at Kalt. "Well done, team." She gives her sword a flick, then slides it into its sheath. "Take the head off. We will bring it to the Rangers as proof, and if they want a trophy. And to make sure it is not just dazed."
Zuri clings on for dear life as the creature is struck repeatedly underneath him. As it goes limp and collapses the salamander stands up atop of it, flashing the group a bright smile. He strikes a heroic pose before leaping off to rejoin Rokarion.
Kalt yanks her claws from the beast, and stands up straight with a little huff. "... Right then, good work ya lot. Barely a scratch on a fella 'round here. M'thinkin' m'gonna grab me a fang from it, if'n ya lot want a trophy from it." The Vixen nodding as she reaches down to the beast's mouth to try and quickly rip out a fang before hopping off to allow it to be beheaded. "Everyone's able to walk right'o?"
Cara hears the loud snap and sighs, "Well, I'll just cut off the tail then. Honestly though, you guys should take credit for it." She nonchalantly makes her way over to the tail and attempts to slice through it in a single swing.
Rokarion opened his book as he willed off his calcified flesh and began writing on it for a bit before dismissing his water elemental and shaking his head, "Well then, if we are done pestering wild life, time to return to the rangers." With that the flower being walked back towards the exit.
Lucasiel wipes her sword clean on her cloak before returning it to its scabbard and taking up her axe, already starting for the exit. "The job is done, then."
Trophy claiming goes without a hitch, though it is probably a good thing that Kalt is wearing those gauntlets, as some sort of foul smelling, viscous liquid drips from the monster's fangs.
The Pangolin ranger is waiting and gives a little whoop of victory when the Freeswords reappear from the cave. "See!" she calls, "I knew you crazy bastards could handle it! I got your pay back at the outpost!"
Rokarion raised an eyebrow at the ranger, "At least some of us were taught polite manners, something which you are lacking." Rokarion then idly put a small pouch in Zuri's hand as they walked outside the swamp.
"Aw calm yer petals boyo. Just bein' friendly round here!" Kalt's tone teasing as she grins and flexes at the Pangolin. "Weren't nuttin' we couldn't go an' handle! Next time ya get a thing causin' a hooplah again, go an' give a shout out. M'sorry 'bout the fellas it took from ya, but know it paid dearly for them!" The Vixen nodding as she crossed her arms with a smile. "But! M'needin'a drink now. I'll see ya lot either drinkin', or when we go fightin' again!"
Cara walks back carrying the large tail section over her shoulder. "Sorry for being late. I wanted to bring something with me to remember this experience though since you guys did a wonderful job." She chuckles as her tail sways through the air, "I wonder if there are any chemicals that might be useful for me in this."
Zuri takes the pouch from the jasmine, smiling up at him. "Ah, don't be so glum Mister Rokarion, I'm sure he meant no offense." He turns back to wave at Kalt once more as the pair of them walk off. "Bye miss Kalt, see you at the Inn later!"
With promise of payment ahead, Shizuko bows her head to the ranger and quietly follows to the outpost; after collecting her portion, she bows to each of the other Freeswords in turn, then makes her way out of the swamp and for the nearest point of civilization.
"We'll see," Lucasiel says in regards to drinks, following along just long enough to collect her payment and return to the city. "I should get back to Marianne."
