2018-03-24: Beast Friends and the Sniffles
- Log: Beast Friends and the Sniffles
- Cast: Ethius Hesiod, Jacqueline Barber, Catenna, Carina Wynne, Arleph Ardan, Seraph Beast, Cyre H. Lorentz
- Where: Mount Zulan
- Date: March 24, 2018
- Summary: CaraKin meets a new friend on Mount Zulan. Catenna meets cold weather.
================================<* Mount Zulan *>================================= The largest peak on the Meribus continent, Mount Zulan is estimated to be more than five thousand feet in height. None have ever reached the summit; the peak is populated by angry and predominantly carnivorous wildlife, and the approach is treacherous. Landslides and rockfalls are common, with little warning. Despite the dangers, the mountain still attracts the occasional adventurer, drawn by rumours of ancient ruins from the first days of the Goddess's reign, said to lie buried beneath the ice and snows. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yawlRq0VMss
DG: A party led by Jacqueline Barber is now entering Mount Zulan. DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
==============================<* Mount Zulan *>=============================== ======================<* CHALLENGE - Slippery Ascent *>======================= |Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 1 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- The first leg of the path up Mt. Zulan is a staircase, made of slabs of carved stone hauled into place by the villagers. Some enterprising individual got the idea to clear it with fire magic, and it worked--but the stones have long since chilled, and snow and ice have formed a slippery layer over them. You'll have to be careful if you want to make it up the path. =Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
EARLIER, IN THE WAKE OF A HEARTFELT PLEA FOR HELP BY LOCALS
"Miss Jay, we are wasting valauble time." Ethius protests in that eerie neutral tone of voice of his, the moment the group is out of earshot of any of the locals here. It is awkwardly placed and timed, considering promises and statements that may have been made. "Our primary concern is to ensure our return home is expedient. There is more at stake than a single village's challenges with its local climate."
There may have been some further words snapped back at him. His retort(s), or follow-ups, can be summed up succinctly as such.
"There is a misunderstanding. Do any of you not comprehend the severity of the situation at hand?"
The Caravan Kinship's goal is to help those in need. These people are suffering by hands of this local beast. If the matter is not dealt with, then these people and their lives could be...
"I'm afraid I do not share your determination. If you will not cooperate... I cannot wait further for you to put the matter at hand into proper perspective." Ethius turns to leave right back out the lodge. "The mission is too important. The responsibility, thus, falls to me on my own." Could this be good-bye?! "Your previous cooperation to this point was appreciated."
...There he goes, but what, exactly, does he intend to accomplish? (Has he ever been open about what it is he truly seeks, that he would willingly sideline the well-being of an ailing village?!)
AND NOW, IN THE PRESENT...
DG: Ethius Hesiod has used a basic Party Leave action.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
The rumors of Mount Zulan's troubles spread wide. The mountain was covered in an apparently endless winter, plaguing the town of Zulan at its base. Apparently, a single beast was responsible for this - vicious and mighty.
Jacqueline had seen this beast. She could not confirm whether or not it was responsible, but she could confirm that it was dangerous and needed to be dealt with. She was unsuccessful last time...but she had survived, and she had no intention of leaving the town of Zulan to their fate.
If no one did anything for them, undoubtedly they would succumb to the cruel winter before long. Jacqueline believed this to be true, and felt that she had to do something, but Ethius...
It hurt, to see him reject that. She had hoped she could make him see reason, but...he had remained steadfast. They had no choice but to move on without him.
"Ah, good, the path is still clear..." Jacqueline murmurs as she leads everyone to the path up the mountain. Her mood has been dampended a bit by Ethius's departure, but she tries to maintain her composure. She had to stay strong, for her friends and for Zulan.
So she focuses instead on the path ahead of them. Indeed, it appeared to still be clear...assuming a certain someone hadn't been busy clearing it out.
Unfortunately, in the intervening time, the pathway upward - a stone staircase constructed by the villagers - had frozen over, making it a slippery ascent. They would need to be careful as they moved forward, lest they slip in fall...
Fortunately, she has potions for that.
DG: Jacqueline Barber has used her Tool Rapid Remedy toward her party's challenge, Slippery Ascent.
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
Catenna has never seen snow in her life.
Catenna has been masquerading as a dancer during her time in Lunar.
Catenna has added a huge fur scarf and a big fur overcloak to her attire today, along with a pair of huge fur boots. She pulls the cloak around herself and shivers a bit. Not even the Egg was bundled up like this, nor even the Owlet, though she has been keeping it nice and warm as she's tried her best to care for it and feed it.
The lack of Ethius rests ill at ease on the Shamaness, though mostly because she'd just started to warm up to him, only to now find him back to his old damn tricks. Catenna just sighs as she moves along with Jacqueline. Whatever the lumpiest member of the Kinship may think, there's a job to do.
Unraveling the coil of rope hidden beneath her cloak, Catenna nods to Jacqueline and moves up alongside her. "Be careful, Jay," she urges, her voice quiet. With a last check to secure the knot holding the grappling hook fast, she steps forward, whirls it over her head and lets it go with a long, soaring cast. The hook catches a rock a long ways up the path and digs in.
Jay's potion helps, but so does having a handhold. Catenna keeps the rope firmly in hand as she guides herelf along it, ensuring she doesn't fall.
DG: Catenna has used her Tool Grappling Hook toward her party's challenge, Slippery Ascent.
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed. <SoundTracker> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wahtkLPxOXA
A small town in big trouble? Yeti giving everyone cold feet? More snow than anyone knows what to even do with?
"This is a job for Lunar's secret protector, the mysterious knight errant..."
"CARDINAL KNIGHT LOCUS!" a caped figure announces, standing on top of a nearby snowy cliff. She swipes her arm dramatically, opening her shimmering cape with a magenta-hilted, transparent-bladed scimitar in hand. Locus, for those who don't know her well by now, is a sleek figure in a shining red-and-silver armor, wearing a peculiar large-eyed, antennaed and overall bug-themed helmet. Her cape, a lighter shade of red than the rest of her costume, blows in the snowy wind along with a long, voluminous blonde ponytail.
"Toh!"
She leaps into a flip to land among the assembled CaraKin. Frantic slipping and waving of her arms momentarily undercuts the drama she was trying to conjure up, but she manages the avert disaster at the last second. After a few seconds' silence as she remains frozen with her arms outreached, she resumes.
"Never fear, I am here to assist!" she proclaims. Then, in a more casual tone: "How d'you like the new cape, guys? I told some folks capes weren't my thing but I tried it just for kicks, and it turns out I'm a stinkin' liar, hehe."
She looks left and right. "Hey, where's Ethius? ...Oh, actually, nevermind." Carina was with the group earlier as they made their way towards the mountain, but it seems she ducked away to transform and prepare her entrance while Ethius was speaking his piece.
In any case, she tries her best to penguin-walk up the steps without turning into a human domino. She figures she could probably use fire to warm them up, but she's been a bit more conservative with her power use ever since the Pleasing Garden. They can do this, she figures! ...Right?
DG: Carina Wynne has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Slippery Ascent.
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.
Arleph's suspicions of Ethius are growing. The Symbologist is in a rather peculiar situation with his knowledge of the strange man. Unfortunately, most of the knowledge he might be able to pull to bear would, in turn, place a rather large spotlight on his own person. This recent development, however, pinpoints several other things in Arleph's mind.
Perhaps it's because he feel Lunar have no technological thing, on the surface? Or perhaps... there is something specific on Filgaia that drives him forward.
Something to consider for later. What would he do for a Telepathic symbol, right about now?
Now, to matter at hands: climbing a bloody icy mountain.
"He's had a difference of opinion and priority. The man is entilted to his own attemps." Arleph says along with the group. He's dressed not very differently since they arrived on Lunar, his clothing actually rather working well even with the different climate and fashions. He's merly added a scarf, something to tie his hat down and some wooly things on exposed piece of skin...
And, of course, a thin, glowing symbological red shield that should bear some of the blunt of the cold. "I must say, I have no idea how some microclimate like this could come into being at first glance." He says, pushing on. Ah, yes. Boots. He'll need thicker ones next time. "There is, sadly, a lot of possibilities."
DG: Arleph Ardan has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Slippery Ascent.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Beast has posed.
There's Malevolence in the mountains, and the cold's not letting up. The Beast of Lohgrin has determined that she can't just leave, not while the village is dealing with all of these problems. If nothing else, she has to do what she came here to do.
Luckily, she's not alone. Jacqueline shares her concern, and - it turns out - she has friends. The Beast, in the village, has been a distant if friendly enough presence, for anyone who cares to approach the huge floating statue who has apparently taken up residence there. And when she noticed Jacqueline's group moving out, naturally, she approached them, and offered her assistance.
Which is a totally normal thing for a floating statue to do, especially when that statue is apparently a Seraph.
Faced with the slippery snow and ice, the Beast has simply elected to float above the ground, which is another thing that statue-Seraphs can apparently do. (There is the vague sense, here, that Seraphs might cheat a little at life, because she doesn't seem affected by the cold at all either.)
"Is the footing an issue?" She asks, in that stiff formal way which she seems so attached to. She crouches down, flattening herself to make it easy for anyone who needs to catch a ride to hop up on her saddle. "I am able to carry you."
She doesn't comment on this 'Ethius'. She doesn't know him, after all.
DG: Seraph Beast has used her Tool Big Saddle toward her party's challenge, Slippery Ascent.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
For as well as Cyre got along with Ethius (that is, about as well as one can get along with Ethius Hesiod), it didn't really surprise him that the symbologist would eventually go on his own way. He never really struck Cyre as the type to put interpersonal connections above whatever nebulous 'mission' he was compelled to accomplish. Naturally, meandering aimlessly around Lunar while waiting for a way home to materialize was a little too much for Ethius to take. Cyre gets it.
It still hurts a bit, but he understands.
At least he has the more immediate task of dealing with a monster terrorizing a small, isolated town to deal with and keep his mind occupied. In many ways, this exact thing is what he had always been trained to do. He was a Nahual, one who wields the power of the Guardians in defense of the innocent against monsters they may be ill equipped to fight. And so, he...
...Seems to be taking this whole thing with maybe a little too little gravitas.
He's presently making a snow-angel in a particularly large mound of the white, fluffy stuff.
"This is great!" Cyre laughs, bolting upright. He's switched out his usual cloak for a heavier, fur-lined version. It's... fluffy. He's fluffy. What can be seen of his ears indicates that they have, inexplicably, only gotten more fluffy since they've arrived out here. "Look at all of this! All this... this snow...!"
He huffs, fog materializing from his breath, "I'm going to get a head start heading up. Keep an eye on the path ahead and all that." A chill wind blows, catching in Cyre's parachute and sending him skywards, "See you all soon!"
Hm.
This kind of vantage point... Would be perfect to hurl snowballs from, wouldn't it...?"
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has used his Tool Reverse Parachute toward his party's challenge, Slippery Ascent.
==============================<* Mount Zulan *>=============================== ======================<* CHALLENGE - Slippery Ascent *>======================= |Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 1 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- The first leg of the path up Mt. Zulan is a staircase, made of slabs of carved stone hauled into place by the villagers. Some enterprising individual got the idea to clear it with fire magic, and it worked--but the stones have long since chilled, and snow and ice have formed a slippery layer over them. You'll have to be careful if you want to make it up the path. =Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
=========================<* Mount Zulan - Round 1 *>========================== ========================< Results - Slippery Ascent >========================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jacqueline Barber 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Rapid Remedy 1 Agility Effects: Cleanse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cyre H. Lorentz 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Reverse Parachute 1 Agility Effects: Rally and Quicken ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Carina Wynne 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Catenna 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Grappling Hook 2 Agility Effects: Quicken ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Seraph Beast 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Big Saddle 2 Agility Effects: Stalwart ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Arleph Ardan 0 --(5)--> 5 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Jacqueline Barber 0 --(20)--> 20 Pass Conditions: Injure(2) Effects: Cleanse|Quicken(1) ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Jacqueline Barber has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw. DG: Seraph Beast has drawn a new Challenge.
===============================<* Mount Zulan *>================================ =======================<* CHALLENGE - Blocked Passage *>======================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 3 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- Someone--or something--has sealed this cave passage with an improvised barrier, and they weren't subtle about it. Several giant rocks have been hauled into place, and the cracks are stuffed with dirt, bits of wood, and shreds of bone. The whole thing has been sealed over with a layer of ice, and the barrier's placement means that isn't natural, either. Ominous as it is, you're going to have to break through it in order to continue. =Dungeon Conditions: Weaken===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Beast has posed.
The way up might be clear of snow, but it seems the above-ground pass Jacqueline and Beast used last time is...
... well...
The snow towers up, so high that even when the Beast cranes her neckpieces to their fullest extent, she still can't see over the edge. It seems that the yeti has been singing, since last they climbed - this amount of snow just doesn't feel normal.
But CaraKin are an enterprising bunch, and searching around reveals an underground entrance not too far away. It... probably leads upwards. Unfortunately, it is also completely blockaded, deliberately so.
"We are not welcome," observes the Beast. She rears up, and places her front claws on the ice, forcing her weight down on it with a gust of air. "... let us intrude."
Aww yeah, all-natural breaking and entering.
DG: Seraph Beast has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Blocked Passage.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"I know. I just hoped that..." Jacqueline murmurs toward Arleph, and sighs. "...I just hoped he'd had enough of a conscience in him to help out..."
Her mood takes a bit of a downturn...but it's hard to stay gloomy when Carina arrives, displaying her new cape for all to see. And, of course, she the Beast is here, as well, which brightens things up even more.
"Oh, I love it, Car - um, Cardinal Knight Locus!" Jacqueline says, making a brief correction when she reminds herself that the Beast wouldn't know that information.
"And yes, it is...if you could assist, that would be wonderful..." Jacqueline says with a nod toward said Beast.
Fortunately, their travel up goes mostly without incident. Catenna provides a useful handhold, allowing the party something to hold onto should they slip, if they don't elect to take the Beast up on her offer of a ride. And Cyre, of course, can simply fly straight up to act as look-out.
It certainly would make a perfect vantage to hurl any snowballs down, but Cyre would never do a thing like that, right?
...Right?
For a moment, it looks like Arleph might be about to slip. Jacqueline turns back, trying to think quickly for anything she might be able to do to help out...but fortunately the Beast is there to catch him before he injures anything.
Jacqueline breathes a sigh of relief, and with that, they're able to make their way upwards...
[OOC] Seraph Beast blu-ray notes to switch those two poses around in the log, bam
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
Well, that's a new Seraph. Catenna, shivering already in the cold but trying not to show it, looks back and blinks at the sight of the Beast. "...It appears very slippery, yes," she admits as she hand-over-hands over the ropes.
She gives Cyre a slightly frosty look. Does he like being cold?! She makes a point to recruit him as a warmer later on.
Upon reaching the top, a shivering Catenna coils up her grappling hook again. She watches the unknown Seraph head for the barrier and go after it with such gusto. For her part she can only look at the cold rocks with a slight cringe, her cheeks colouring just a touch, as much from dread at touching them without gloves as from the biting chill. It's cutting her pretty bitterly at this point and she hunkers down into her scarf in the hopes of stopping it, but it ends up just drawing her attention to the way the cold nips at her ears and makes her nose run.
Catenna is from southern Elru. It's much more equatorial than this place!
"Yes, I can tell we aren't," she murmurs, then sniffles as she approaches the rocks. She lays her hands on them.
She cringes as the cold shoots through her delicate fingertips, and immediately puts a fold of her cloak between her hands and the rocks as she gingerly tries to manhandle a few of the smaller ones. It's slow going because Catenna's not strong to begin with.
DG: Catenna has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Blocked Passage.
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.
"Oh! Don't mind if I do!" Locus says, a smile in her voice, as the group's new statue friend (What? She's just rolling with it as she usually does.) offers them a ride. YES. NOW THE CRIMSON KNIGHT HAS A STEED. THIS IS THE BEST. Though she's probably sharing the ride with some other people, which muddles up the image somewhat. Slicing some flying snowballs dropped by an unknown assailant with her sword, too.
But soon they encounter an obstacle.
"Just what I was thinkin', statue friend!" Locus says, hopping off to reach into a compartiment in her belt and pulling out several pellets. Explosives?
No, judging by the way she drops them BEHIND them rather than onto the obstacles. Locus steps in front of the cluster she dropped and...
Dramatically poses!! as the pellets explode into bright fireworks and multicolored smoke!
"We can definitely do this everyone! Let's show that barricade the REAL SUPER-POWER OF TEAMWORK! LOCUUUUS FIRE PUNCH!"
She winds up her fist, gathering flames all around, then swings it, sending a large fireball flying towards the partly icy blockade. If that's not enough to melt it down, she had plenty enough where that came from!
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.
It is perhaps a sign that Arleph have been on Filgaia and a Drifter for a while that he is barely blinking at the sight of a flying, floating and glowing statue of metal. Or perhaps, not being surprised is too strong of a word. 'Not making a fuss' about it would be far more accurate. There is quite a few glance in her direction however, blinking, looking back and forth.
It's also hard to not look directly at whatever spirit is catching him as he almost slipped. He breathes, his grip tense as he's caught back up on the trail. "Thanks you, ma'am." He says, shaking a bit as he regains his footing... and apparently riding her 'saddle'. "I'm afraid snow and ice are not some of my favorite... climates."
In a way, it looks pretty badass, he must imagine. He'll have to talk to her closer, if he can.
He politely ignores Cyre revel in the cold as they get stopped by a wall of ice. "Indeed. Someone wishes to keep us out." He agrees with the Seraph, reaching into his pockets to take out one of his known balls of clay, covered in symbological circles. As usual, people rush to punch it. That's fine. That's why he added radial control of the explosion on his bombs. He swipe a finger accross the symbols, leaving a glowing trail on the ones he touches, before tossing the clay ball in a direct to NOT hit the others, with a narrow 45degree angle.
When it impacts against the ice, there is a flash of searing green light, as plasma does it works, before vanishing as fast it happened.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
Of course Cyre's not gonna throw snowballs from up here! He'd need to have prepared some to throw first. That can wait till later, when they're not busy pursuing an abominable snow monster. And to do that, they'll first need to scale this mountain.
Fortunately, that's a lot easier when you can fly.
It's not long until the party runs into a new and somewhat more taxing obstacle, however. Cyre descends as they come to a stop, and immediately goes...
And drapes his voluminous parachute over Catenna's shoulders.
"This should help a bit," Cyre says, fingering at one of the stone tablets hidden under his robes. "And this should help a lot. Solais Emsu, I beseech you, light our path." A spark of brilliant energy emerges from Cyre's outstretched (thickly gloved) hand, resolving into... What is bascially a massive, warming, incandescent lightbulb. Except with more lasers. Several of which are focused on trying to blast through the blockage (or at least, to try and melt the permafrost).
Beat.
"Oh right," Cyre says over the din of LASERS. "The big statue is Seraph Beast, if you haven't met her yet. She's... Well. She's a giant statue, and the seraph inhabiting it. And not a bad sort at all!"
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Blocked Passage.
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.
It is perhaps a sign that Arleph have been on Filgaia and a Drifter for a while that he is barely blinking at the sight of a flying, floating and glowing statue of metal. Or perhaps, not being surprised is too strong of a word. 'Not making a fuss' about it would be far more accurate. There is quite a few glance in her direction however, blinking, looking back and forth.
It's also hard to not look directly at whatever spirit is catching him as he almost slipped. He breathes, his grip tense as he's caught back up on the trail. "Thanks you, ma'am." He says, shaking a bit as he regains his footing... and apparently riding her 'saddle'. "I'm afraid snow and ice are not some of my favorite... climates."
In a way, it looks pretty badass, he must imagine. He'll have to talk to her closer, if he can.
He politely ignores Cyre revel in the cold as they get stopped by a wall of ice. "Indeed. Someone wishes to keep us out." He agrees with the Seraph, reaching into his pockets to take out one of his known balls of clay, covered in symbological circles. As usual, people rush to punch it. That's fine. That's why he added radial control of the explosion on his bombs. He swipe a finger accross the symbols, leaving a glowing trail on the ones he touches, before tossing the clay ball in a direct to NOT hit the others, with a narrow 45degree angle. "Then let us knock!"
When it impacts against the ice, there is a flash of searing green light, as plasma does it works, before vanishing as fast it happened.
DG: Arleph Ardan has used his Tool Symbological Bomb toward his party's challenge, Blocked Passage.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
They make their way up to find...an improvised barrier. Giant rocks, bits of wood, some bone...all frozen over with a layer of ice.
Jacqueline folds her arms in front of her and frowns, staring at it intently. She was coming to a conclusion...but the Beast voices it before she does. Jacqueline offers her a smile and a nod.
"Yes. I believe our friend at the top is responsible for this..." She concludes, and then begins to rummage through her bags for potions to hand out.
"Here, everyone - these should help warm you up..." She says. Catenna gets hers first, since she seems to be especially suffering from the cold. She offers one to the Beast and Carina as well, even though they might not be able to make use of them.
She didn't want them to feel left out!
"Ah, while we're working on this..." Jacqueline says, when her contribution here is complete. (Her noodly arms, unfortunate, provide no help against their icy foe.)
Cyre introduces the Beast, and Jacqueline nods as well.
"Yes. I met her on my first trip up the mountain...she was an indispensable help." Jacqueline explains.
DG: Jacqueline Barber has used her Tool Brewte Force toward her party's challenge, Blocked Passage. DG: Carina Wynne has used her Tool Go Go! Pyrotechnics toward her party's challenge, Blocked Passage.
===============================<* Mount Zulan *>================================ =======================<* CHALLENGE - Blocked Passage *>======================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 3 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- Someone--or something--has sealed this cave passage with an improvised barrier, and they weren't subtle about it. Several giant rocks have been hauled into place, and the cracks are stuffed with dirt, bits of wood, and shreds of bone. The whole thing has been sealed over with a layer of ice, and the barrier's placement means that isn't natural, either. Ominous as it is, you're going to have to break through it in order to continue. =Dungeon Conditions: Weaken===================================================
==========================<* Mount Zulan - Round 2 *>=========================== =========================< Results - Blocked Passage >========================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jacqueline Barber 5 --(20)--> 25 Fail Brewte Force 1 Brute Effects: Fanfare and Strengthe -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cyre H. Lorentz 5 --(20)--> 25 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carina Wynne 5 --(20)--> 25 Fail Go Go! Pyrotechnics 1 Brute Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catenna 5 --(20)--> 25 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Beast 5 --(20)--> 25 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arleph Ardan 5 --(15)--> 20 Pass Symbological Bomb 3 Brute Effects: Rally -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Jacqueline Barber 20 --(10)--> 30 Fail Conditions: Weaken(2) Effects: Cleanse|Strengthen(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Jacqueline Barber has failed this challenge! The party gained 10 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Beast has posed.
"I am pleased to meet you all," the Beast of Lohgrin offers, as she tears at the ice with her claws. The sight is not unlike a cat with a scratching-post, but much larger. (But a mighty steed can absolutely be catlike.)
But this barrier is particularly strong. Catenna's slow and steady approach works, in a fashion, but it's much too slow to make much of a dent in the blockade. A fiery ball of flaming death blasts the ice, and a laser light-show joins in - and, indeed, the ice melts when met with their combined might.
Unfortunately, there is much more than ice in the way. The Beast pauses in her efforts to dig through the boulders to accept a potion, holding it delicately in her jaws before - crunch. Whether it helps much, since she doesn't appear to have any way to actually eat it, is debatable. But it's nice to be included!
The fact is, even with the Beast and Catenna trying to dig through the rocks, and even with Cyre and Carina's flashy light show lending strength to proceedings, there's just too much here to get through.
Luckily, there is a DARK HORSE amongst them, who pulls ahead with a targetted explosive, fitted into the stone. Arleph's plasma charge handily melts through the rock, and while the passage is a little small, even the Beast ought to fit through if she squeezes.
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has drawn a new Challenge.
==============================<* Mount Zulan *>=============================== =======================<* CHALLENGE - Slip and Slide *>======================= |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 1 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- The path cuts across a large sheet of ice, half-buried in snowdrifts. It looks like it was a scenic lake, or perhaps a reservoir of fresh mountain water built by the people of Zulan. Now it's a useful shortcut, provided you can avoid slipping and falling on your face while walking across. =Dungeon Conditions: Hesitate, Secret=========================================
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
IN CYRE'S DEFENSE, his and Carina's lightshow did have the added benefit of warming everyone up. That's what really matters in the end, isn't it? That we all make it home safe and sound and not frozen in pillars of ice.
But in spite of all that firepower, they're only able to crack open a narrow crevasse. It's certainly enough to pass through, but with some difficulty. What awaits them on the other side is...
...A frozen lake?
"H-huh," Cyre murmurs, staring across the vast expanse of ice and snow between the party and the next leg of the climb. "I wonder. Was that passage we opened up some kind of water-way or something...? Maybe it was a creek? Well, whatever the case..."
Cyre walks back, plucks his parachute off Catenna's shoulders, and then... Plucks Catenna off the ground. "Here," he says, "I'll block the wind this way. Okay! So!" He looks to the others, "I'll lead. If the ice breaks and I fall in, I'll be using my parachute to get to safety. Should be easy!"
Probably.
As long as they DON'T FALL IN.
(That would just be awful).
The wind howls. Cyre's parachute fills, billowing like a sail as he goes sliding forth across the frost!
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has used his Tool Reverse Parachute toward his party's challenge, Slip and Slide.
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
Catenna already has a huge fur cloak. It's still not enough.
Cyre helps. Catenna huddles into the parachute, shivering and blushing. "Thank you," she murmurs, before sniffling softly and flashing him a grateful smile. She rubs her hands briskly together to try and get some warmth back into them.
Jay's potion is welcomed, and the shamaness downs it steadily. The warmth of it ripples through her like a blessing. Sighing with relief, Catenna looks up at the rock.
She still prefers not to touch it. Ugh! She'll never be able to get through like this!
Arleph helps. A lot. As they proceed onwards, Catenna looks out across the frozen lake, shivering and hunkering down into her cloak-and-chute combination and burying as much of the lower half of her face as possible into her scarf.
Until the parachute is plucked. Catenna looks up at Cyre with a blink.
At which point --
"Iyaa~," Catenna gasps as Cyre sweeps her up. She settles into a princess carry, wrapped up in the fur cloak like a pretty parcel. Blushing hard, she nevertheless wraps her arms around the catman's shoulders and buries her face into the side of his neck, her legs rubbing together a little beneath the cloak and against his arm. The cold wind whistles past her as Cyre goes sailing across the ice.
Catenna holds on for dear life, at least glad Cyre is nice and warm.
DG: Catenna has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Slip and Slide.
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.
"Hey there, Miss Beast!" Locus introduces herself to the statue she just rode with a salute. "You can call me Locus. I'm a superhero, or I guess here they say 'cool, mysterious knight errant'," she explains.
She waves a hand when Jay offers her a potion, though it was nice of her to offer. She REALLY REALLY need to figure out how to poke a straw into her helmet or something.
She catches her breath as it seems they've barely made a dent in this barricade. Well. Better than nothing, she supposes. She crawls in along with the rest (muttering about her "stupid cape") and emerges to the frozen lake!
"Wowww, that's beautiful!" she says, stopping to admire the expanse a moment, then adds: "And probably... full of danger." She also takes a moment to look at Catenna, considering. There isn't much she can do for her right now besides conjure up the occasional fireball, but maybe later they can figure out a better way to keep her warm!
And then Locus takes off into a Naruto ninja run. Until, possibly, Beast zooms by and she remembers that hitching a ride is an option.
DG: Carina Wynne has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Slip and Slide.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Beast has posed.
The Beast's top headplate tilts down to examine the superhero. "Locus," she repeats. "Though you are quite strange, I am glad to meet you." Wow, right to the point.
And then the passage opens up. Clack-clack-clack goes the metal of the Beast's vessel as joints shift together. But she gets through, and when she does, there's a wondrous vista!
"How dangerous," is the first thing the Beast thinks out loud, concern in her voice if not on her face. "If anyone is unsure of their ability to cross, please allow me to assist you." Down she crouches again, to offer a ride for the others.
She's heard a few things in the village, after all. Even if she's not used to snow, she's good at listening, and she's heard what falling in frozen water will do to you. She doesn't want that to happen to these poor people!
(She's definitely not above stopping to fetch Locus as she passes her, either. She is concerned for this knight errant.)
DG: Seraph Beast has used her Tool Big Saddle toward her party's challenge, Slip and Slide.
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.
At least the wall got blown partly enough, even if it was... pretty tight.
In spite of it all, they get inside, getting a good look at what is within. An interior, frozen lake. "My, my..." The Symbologist lets out, getting closer to look down at the water proper, adjusting his glasses. "I wonder if... Ah," He blinks, looking up at the Seraph Beast's offer, standing back up(carefully, to not fall into the water. Or rather, break the ice AND get in the water below). "I shall take you up to that offer, actually. I do not trust my chances over that surface, knowing my luck."
DG: Arleph Ardan has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Slip and Slide.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Things don't quite go as anyone planned, but at least Arleph's explosive gets them through. Jacqueline sends him a thankful nod before progressing forward, where they come across a frozen lake.
"In times past, possibly. But now..." Jacqueline murmurs, folding her arms in front of her. Now? It was a potential shortcut. It was also a potential danger.
Jacqueline may not be the quickest runner, or even the most durable, but she was, at least, sure of her footing. She could probably make it across...
...But why turn down Beast's offer? A part of her felt that she might be taking advantage of her kindness, but...even so, she elects to take a seat alongside Arleph with a grateful nod.
This will also allow her to more easily pull some healing potions out just in case.
DG: Jacqueline Barber has used her Tool Rapid Remedy toward her party's challenge, Slip and Slide.
==============================<* Mount Zulan *>=============================== =======================<* CHALLENGE - Slip and Slide *>======================= |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 1 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- The path cuts across a large sheet of ice, half-buried in snowdrifts. It looks like it was a scenic lake, or perhaps a reservoir of fresh mountain water built by the people of Zulan. Now it's a useful shortcut, provided you can avoid slipping and falling on your face while walking across. =Dungeon Conditions: Hesitate, Secret=========================================
=========================<* Mount Zulan - Round 3 *>========================== =========================< Results - Slip and Slide >========================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jacqueline Barber 25 --(5)--> 30 Pass Rapid Remedy 1 Agility Effects: Cleanse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cyre H. Lorentz 25 --(5)--> 30 Pass Reverse Parachute 1 Agility Effects: Rally and Quicken ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Carina Wynne 25 --(5)--> 30 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Catenna 25 --(5)--> 30 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Seraph Beast 25 --(5)--> 30 Pass Big Saddle 2 Agility Effects: Stalwart ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Arleph Ardan 20 --(5)--> 25 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Jacqueline Barber 30 --(20)--> 50 Pass Conditions: Hesitate(2)|Secret(2) Effects: Cleanse|Quicken(1) ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Jacqueline Barber has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
"Hold on tight~!" Cyre laughs as he sails and skates across the lake. Flurries of snowflakes stir and dance all around him as the billowing gale rushes by. Carina's right; this place is beautiful. Who knew that somewhere so inhospitable to life could have so much natural beauty?
And then there's a great big *CRACK* as the ice gives way.
Cyre soars deftly over the frigid pitfall, landing and skating on by without missing a step. A good parachute is pretty indispensible when you've got magic that can manipulate the winds.
As for the rest of the party...
Beast has little trouble navigating her own share of thin ice. The steel statue makes it seem easy-- though maybe it is, when your body is made entirely out of metal. Everyone else is by and large able to hang on just fine. You might even say that they were able to...
Ride like the wind.
AND ONWARDS, TO ADVENTURE!
DG: Catenna has drawn a new Challenge.
================================<* Mount Zulan *>================================= ======================<* CHALLENGE - Inconvenient Icicles *>====================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 1 | ----------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------- The path ahead tucks under an overhang as it loops around the side of the mountain. Water has dripped down the rock face, forming a series of thick, pillar-like icicles that make passage extremely difficult. Clearing them out would make things a lot easier for you, and for other travelers. =Dungeon Conditions: Overzealous==============================================
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
Sometimes, it pays to have a hot boyfriend. Catenna soaks up Cyre's body heat even as the lake begins to crackle and give way. She clutches him good and tight, trying not to shiver too much.
When finally they reach the edge of the lake, Catenna alights from Cyre's arms. She sniffles, wiping her nose with the back of one hand. The shiver kicks back in now that she's away from her warm Beastman, and she gives him a brief, longing look before turning towards the path at the other side of the lake. It's slippery and she nearly falls a couple of times.
Ahead, the snow wells up into huge heaps to either side of the path - and several monstrous icicles droop down into the path, descending from the sheer rock face that rises above the snow. The icicles jut into the path like slightly angled columns, each as wide as a man and several times as tall, glistening darkly. The ice is black enough to make it obvious these have been frozen in place for a long, long time.
Catenna lowers her eyelids a little and sighs. She looks back at Cyre with a long-suffering expression.
"But we shall.. be closer to our goal if we can pass these quickly," she murmurs, before sniffling once more and starting towards the icicles. Catenna reaches for her sword --
Oh, right. Her sword is back on Filgaia.
Stuck in Berserk's bicep.
Catenna sighs slowly. Reaching for her Mediums, she considers whether her magic would be useful here and comes up with 'Not very.'
There's little else she can do save reach for a few sticks of kindling and attempt to light a fire under some of the icicles.
DG: Catenna has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Inconvenient Icicles.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Beast has posed.
"Cyre-!" The Beast of Lohgrin barks in alarm as she hears the ice break, but he's a windy fellow, too, and his parachute catches the both of them before they can take a dip. There's a puff of breeze, like a sigh of relief.
Quietly, to her passengers: "... does he normally warrant this much concern?"
The ice underneath her claws is thin and treacherous, but the Beast isn't, technically, walking on the ice. She's floating /over/ the ice, and in this manner she's able to ferry them safely across without too much issue. She doesn't set herself on the ground until they're safely past the lake, and she lowers herself down to let off her passengers, and/or brave knights.
The next challenge they find is one where the Beast is reluctant to use her might: icicles. She could try to blow them away, certainly - but what would she skewer if she did? So instead, she s t r e t c h e s out her neck plates, and begins biting the icicles and tossing them aside. Cronch.
DG: Seraph Beast has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Inconvenient Icicles.
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.
"He's a pretty fiesty kitty," Locus tells the Beast, quietly, and leaves it at that.
She hops off once again, giving a friendly wave and looking up at the pillars of ice. Well, there's only one thing to do.
Fireworks! Smoke explosion! The very soul of bravery, distilled in a dramatic pose! Even a little song!
"Full force! Tanana ta-nananana~! Let's kick some ice, friends who are... huh... nice!"
"But now, the moment you've been waiting for... LOCUS HOT SLASH!" The blade in her hand lights up with red energy, embers running along it, and Locus LEAPS way too many feet into the air to cleave at the pillars with her red-hot Locusaber!
DG: Carina Wynne has used her Tool Go Go! Pyrotechnics toward her party's challenge, Inconvenient Icicles.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
The answer to Beast's question is...
M...maybe??
As they encounter yet another obstacle, Cyre sets his cargo down gingerly and again drapes his parachute over her shoulders. Catenna is weak to cold, it seems. Cyre will remember this... For reasons.
"Yeah, this is all frozen over in the most inconvenient spots, isn't it?" Cyre says, making a curious noise at the complex array of icicles barring their path. "If we'd left them for a little longer, they might have fused together and then we'd really be stuck. As-is, though..."
Hm. Lasers... Are probably not the answer here. The risk that beams will start bouncing around all over the place is just too great. And so Cyre is left with the other option.
The wind howls, gathering over his hands like a pair of gauntlets. He advances, sweeping his arms out in front of him. Invisible blades of wind lance out, raking like the claws of some great beast across the ice. But will it be enough...?
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Inconvenient Icicles.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Seeing the ice break, Jacqueline's glad she had elected to accept the Beast's offer. She would have wanted to be on it when it broke. And to the Beast's question...
"W-well...yes, but...he means well, really...!" Jacqueline says. She...she didn't want to lie to her.
Eventually, they reach a safe place to dismount.
"Thanks..." She says, climbing down and looking toward the obstruction before them. She considers the options before her, and then takes a moment to draw out a few bottles.
She takes some time to mix them together, until eventually she comes out a reddish-orange mixture.
"Be careful, I'm going to throw something in. Theoretically, it should be enough to melt these, even as thick as they are..." She says, and tosses the bottle into the thickest midst of the pillar-like icicles.
If only she still had her Earth Pillar, she could just smash right on through...
DG: Jacqueline Barber has used her Tool Brewte Force toward her party's challenge, Inconvenient Icicles.
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.
Arleph will be adding to his list of things, later, in his journal, 'I've been riding the back of a talking, glowing, apparently living beast accross a frozen lake and nearly died chasing an hyperactive feline beastman shaman.'
"He's... generally reliable on that sort of manners." Arleph concedes along with Jacqueline, holding on tight to the Seraph, before dismounting with some shaky legs. Even all this time, he still don't really get 'horses'. Bikes, he get them. Horses, well... he still need practice. "He's actually pretty wise, despite apperances. Wisdom comes in many shapes."
He looks ahead, nodding at the other magic user, taking out his last lay ball. "I'll take the other side and converge to take care some of the debris." He says, sliding his finger along the symbols, then fling it over.
DG: Arleph Ardan has used his Tool Symbological Bomb toward his party's challenge, Inconvenient Icicles.
================================<* Mount Zulan *>================================= ======================<* CHALLENGE - Inconvenient Icicles *>====================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 1 | ----------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------- The path ahead tucks under an overhang as it loops around the side of the mountain. Water has dripped down the rock face, forming a series of thick, pillar-like icicles that make passage extremely difficult. Clearing them out would make things a lot easier for you, and for other travelers. =Dungeon Conditions: Overzealous==============================================
===========================<* Mount Zulan - Round 4 *>============================ ========================< Results - Inconvenient Icicles >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jacqueline Barber 30 --(5)--> 35 Pass Brewte Force 1 Brute Effects: Fanfare and Strengthe ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cyre H. Lorentz 30 --(5)--> 35 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carina Wynne 30 --(5)--> 35 Pass Go Go! Pyrotechnics 1 Brute Effects: Cleanse ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catenna 30 --(5)--> 35 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Beast 30 --(10)--> 40 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arleph Ardan 25 --(5)--> 30 Pass Symbological Bomb 3 Brute Effects: Rally ------------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------- Leader: Jacqueline Barber 50 --(30)--> 80 Pass Conditions: Hesitate(1)|Overzealous(2)|Secret(1) Effects: Cleanse|Strengthen(1) ================================< Dream Chasers >=================================
DG: The party led by Jacqueline Barber has passed this challenge! The party gained 30 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
"Cyre is always concerning," Catenna murmurs with a glance at the Beast of Lohgrin, ducking her chin into her scarf again. "Sometimes more than others, but always concerning."
Cyre's parachute helps her more than he might realize. Sighing a little, Catenna keeps lighting up that fire, letting the flames work to thaw some of the ice.
Others, however, have it in hand. Especially Metal Digger Locus. The LOCUS HOT SLASH cleaves through several icicles with ease. They melt at the point of impact and crash to the ground, where Cyre's thundering winds smash them away. Jacqueline throws her potion in, and ice begins to soften and slough off. Icicles topple, falling like tree trunks during the world's quickest timbering operation.
Arleph comes in next and drops the ol' tsar bomba on 'em. Icicles crumble before the symbological mastery. That makes it easy work for the Beast, who simply clears out much of the mess with the simplest of tools: Toothiness.
It works out great, but that's a lot of ice hitting the roof of her mouth.
B E S T I A L B R A I N F R E E Z E
(Hope you like taking 1d4 cold damage per round)
Catenna blinks at Beast a couple of times, concern etched into her face. "Are you alright...?"
DG: Carina Wynne has drawn a new Challenge.
===============================<* Mount Zulan *>================================
=======================<* CHALLENGE - The Missing Link *>=======================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
At long last, you've found the beast that brought this unnatural winter to
the mountain. It's huge--it stands almost ten feet tall, and its
powerfully-muscled body is covered in white fur. It walks upright,
sometimes, and with a hunched, knuckle-dragging gait at others. It is
terrifyingly strong, and its howl can cause the mountain to send forth an
avalanche.
It will take all your strength just to drive it off, after the long journey
up the mountain. Doing so might buy the people of Zulan a bit more time.
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed. <SoundTracker> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdIyxSVtPek
The way through the fallen pillars leads the group on a relatively straightforward path up the mountain. There are no notable obstacles in sight, nor even any monsters here. As the cliché goes, it's quiet... Too quiet.
Boom.
It's a sound in the distance. Coming from up ahead, at the top, which isn't so far naw.
BOOM.
BOOM!
With an explosion of snow and dislodged ice, the yeti lands among the group. It beats its chest menacingly, then ROARS at the intruders daring to climb its mountain.
THE YETI
Mount Zulan's Snow King
A low rumbling sound in the distance indicates an avalanche is afoot. The Yeti leaps right over the massive wave of snow, hanging on to a rock formation and baring its teeth as it threatens to engulf the entire group in one fell swoop. Is there a hero who can save the day?!
"Huuuuuuuh." Locus looks down at her flame-coated fist, then back up at the avalanche snapping trees like twigs and BARRELING TOWARDS THEM ALL. She suddenly feels very tiny by comparison. "Huuuuuuuuuuuh," she specifies.
Well! It seems this is a party wipe. Sorry, gang.
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Just as all seems to turn dire...
A great wash of heat flashes ahead of the descending avalanche. It diminishes in size, turning into rushing water... and soon, into nothing. The breezy winds blows some hot, humid air against the gathered. Moments later...
There is a sudden explosion of rustic-colored clouds against the great white beast. It is not certain as to their exact origins. Nobody among them can cast spells like that. Nobody fired any weapons that produce such signature emissions of that character.
Somewhere, on an outcropping off to the left, a hooded figure stands with their left arm outstretched. Their right holds onto a long, plain-looking staff of some kind. They seem to be shy a layer or two of clothing appropriate for the climate, but the whipping winds do not seem to dissuade them overly much.
"My disagreements with your choice of actions stand." A certain someone says, voice level and calm even above the fracas of a ferocious beast and a freezing blizzard - somehow able to be heard, as his palm remains outstretched towards the dusty haze that stuns the beast.
As the haze that obscures his form slowly dissipates, his eyes narrow. "Nonetheless, I do not agree with the idea of allowing you to fall victim to hostile indigenous elements."
From there, his eyes dart to where there may yet be loose snow banks that could stand to turn into great avalanches. Already, he mentally visualizes what yield and range of heat spell he may need to prepare in order to lessen or otherwise head off the prospect of an early burial in snow. He will need to commit to chanting soon.
"You are beset on both sides." There's two of them?! No, there's only one great ginormous white-furred beast, unless he means...! "I will move to evaporate any more excess accumulated snow. The rest is up to you all."
He commences working on the exacting series of gestures and chants needed to chain together multiple heat spells to further carve out the exacting area and volume of snow to remove, a complicated process in the presence of mortal danger. A challenge he continues to meet with unrelenting stoicism.
Whether allowing cover for a safe retreat, or a precious opening in which to bring it down... now's the Caravan Kinship's chance to seize the moment.
DG: Ethius Hesiod has used his Tool Powder Grenade toward his party's challenge, The Missing Link.
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.
"Huh?!??" Locus continues to have limited vocabulary as she looks up at their surprise savior.
"Ethius, what the heck!!" she calls out, laughter in her voice. "Every time, I swear..."
The Yeti sees no humor in this. It leaps back down from its perch, fire in its eyes, picking a fallen tree in the process and hurling it at the nearest people it can find. Its mighty fists follow, and the very ground wavers beneath its immense footsteps.
The battle is joined, CaraKin and Beast friend!!
DG: Carina Wynne has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Missing Link.
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
That is a mighty big boom.
The yeti lands. Snow slams into Catenna as the creature comes down. She's hurled off her feet, gasping and hitting the ground, letting out a yelp of both pain and discomfort as her bare legs hit frigid snow. Cringing into her cloak, the priestess stares on with horror written all over her face at the sight of something she comprehends only partially.
An immense wave of brutally cold and crushing snow bearing down on them - too much of it for even gravity to halt. She closes her eyes.
Until there is a scream of heat and fire.
Opening her eyes, Catenna stares at their sudden savior - the last person she would've expected to come to their rescue, after his antics earlier. The Shamaness closes her eyes, clenching her right hand, but she can't find the words to address Ethius right now. She's not sure whether to hug him or bludgeon him with something.
She settles for just sighing through her teeth. As the Yeti drops down, Catenna rolls out of her furry little coccon and comes to one knee. She's still got her Lunar outfit on under the cloak; her bare knee touches the snow, and she cringes, shuddering as the cold swims through her. She wants to cry.
But she can't. She can't succumb to how badly her nose is stuffed up, or how the air hurts, or how her heart is racing a mile a minute to try and keep her warm. Her friends need help right now.
The yeti chucks the tree. Catenna touches her fingers to her Medium and levels her hand.
The tree suddenly jerks in midair - and it hangs there as gravity suddenly begins to slow it down. Its speed lessens and lessens until it stops several feet from Catenna.
And then it reverses itself as Catenna whips the pull of gravity on it back the way it came. The tree launches through the air as Catenna attempts to throw it back through the yeti as hard as she can!
DG: Catenna has used her Tool Celesdue Medium toward her party's challenge, The Missing Link.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Beast has posed.
On the bright side, the Beast manages to clear out the remaining icicles!
On the... less bright side, she now has an icicle stuck to her mouth.
"I am fine," insists the Beast, who at least doesn't talk with her statue, so she doesn't sound muffled. She does, however, look ridiculous, as she lowers her headpieces and paws at the icicle with her claws. She does a little head-shake, pushes at it with a gust of wind, and tilts her upper headpiece back at an awkward angle as she pries at the ice stuck to her metal.
Finally, with a big push from her claws, she is freed from the tyranny of BESTIAL BRAIN FREEZE, and she rights herself with a full-body shake of all her constituent pieces. "Hmph!" She... meant to do that. That's a totally normal and dignified thing to do.
The newly-cleared path leads them, once more, to the summit, and the beast causing all these problems. And there's only room for one Beast on a mountain, and it's not the Beast that's not her.
Unfortunately, it seems perfectly willing to force the matter, leaping headlong into the group. The Beast of Lohgrin manoeuvres herself between it and the others, but before she can launch an attack, it leaps up and summons a crushing cascade of snow and ice.
If only the Beast knew how to swear, she would have some choice words. Instead she does what she can, blowing wind towards the oncoming storm. She knows it won't work. She's tried this before. But in the moment, there's nothing else she can do.
And yet -
The snow dissipates, becomes so much mist in the wind. "Er -" The Beast is quite sure she didn't do that, but... who could have?! The answer, it seems, is this Ethius fellow they were talking about earlier. "I know you not," she calls to him, "but my gratitude is yours!" With that, she leaps forward, towards the Yeti, in a flash of teeth and claws. She's going to keep it occupied with her considerable size while the others attack.
DG: Seraph Beast has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Missing Link.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Her mixture worked exactly as she expected it would. Jacqueline allows herself a smile as the group proceeds forward. The path ahead is...simple. Incredibly simple, in fact. It's a little alarming.
And then it all comes crashing down as the yeti lands among them with a ferocious roar. Jacqueline recoils back. She stares up at it, in shock. There it is. It was definitely the creature she faced last time - she can see the scar from where White Knight Leo attempted to cut it in two.
But it is not here to fight them personally. It is only a challenge, before it leaps away. Jacqueline stares in horror as a massive avalanche rushes toward them. She hunkers down behind the Beast's more durable metallic form.
Last time this happened, they had been able to protect themselves with barriers. But none of those responsible for that were present here, and Jacqueline was still unable to call upon her Earth Pillars.
She expects the avalanche to overtake it...but it never comes. Instead, she can feel a great heat...and when she looks up, she can see that the avalanche has been dispersed, and familiar clouds are blocking off the yeti.
She would recognize that spell anywhere.
"E-Ethius...!" Jacqueline says, relieved. She was so glad to see him here. "Thank you...!"
...But, they still had a yeti to deal with. Like the first time, it hurls a giant tree at them...but this time, they have Catenna with them to turn the tables.
"Right... Everyone, we can do this! Let's free Zulan from this creature's tyranny!" Jacqueline calls out, drawing out a Crest. She invokes it. Energy tears through the ground beneath the yeti, hurling earth, stone, and hopefully the creature itself into the air.
It's one half of her signature dual-casting technique, which some present may have seen...but she doesn't complete it, instead allowing others to capitalize on this moment.
DG: Jacqueline Barber has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Missing Link.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
There are three surprises, all chained together in one big pileup of shock and awe. The first is probably the most obvious: the explosion of frost, the bestial roar that shakes the foundations of even the mightiest hero. The yeti appears, in all of its terrible and brutal glory. It lowers itself as if to charge. Cyre winces and reaches into his robes...
Which is when the second surprise arrives. The surrounding ice and snow suddenly flash-boils under the concentrated heat of spells that Cyre knows far too well. They're the same kind of magic that nearly obliterated his village in the attempt to save it. That power belongs to only one man.
Ethius Hesiod has returned.
And as the steam clears, the third surprise is revealed.
Cyre is gone.
No. That's not right. Where Cyre had once stood, there is now something else. A towering figure of primal fury and divine might. An enormous bipedal beast, covered in stark white fur, black stripes, and sprawling, winding symbols that exhult the inviolate, invincible wind. A fierce mandala briefly alights like a halo of sunlight over its shoulders-- then vanishes in a flurry of green light.
This is...
Nahual - Fengalon
"You're a sight for sore eyes, Ethius Hesiod," the beast speaks with two voices. One is very clearly Cyre. The other is... unplacable, but familiar. The whisper of the breeze dancing on the prairie. The howl of storm gales pounding the coast. The shriek of mountain gusts scything over the peaks. All of these things and more.
"Come on. Let's go, Cyre says to the others, to the monster. The tiger drops low as Catenna's tree trunk sails overhead. It surges forward, grabbing hold of the mass of wood shortly after its own impact. Claws dig in deep, great arms swing the massive trunk like a wooden club. The Nahual roars, stirring the ensuing shockwave into a cataclysmic downburst of pressure.
Beast and beast against beast. Who will come out on top...?
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has used his Tool Gale Claw toward his party's challenge, The Missing Link.
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.
"I would not be fine if I had an icicle stuck in my mouth like you do." Arleph comments, with some good humour as they move on. He's glad for her being her that helped... well, let's be honest, quite a lot.
A lot of things happens at once. This is just one thing that you learn to deal with after you've done some time as a Drifter on this crazy, crazy ass solar system.
Arleph lets out a cry at the Yeti barreling down on them, the symbologist skidding backward against the snow and falling to one knee, gripping at the snow. "Damn...! That's one hard and nasty critter!" He lets out, pushing himself to his feet, staggering around on the snow for a few moments... before letting out a curse (learn from that, Beast, he's got some inventive ones). "Ethius!"
He takes a deep breath in, fog escaping his nostrils. Right. They'll have to talk later when they dont have an almost two-story tall furry monster of murder and fury. Arleph reach into his pockets to take out a small vial. It is a small thing, barely bigger than a thumb, covered in symbological circles like most of his items does. He looks at the group, gathering power into the bottle as he lifts it up, and throw it in the air.
"Just in time for YOU to have a taste of this, Ethius!" He cries out, with the thimble bottle exploding up in the air. It spreads out a fine mist of brightly glowing blue watery-light, spreading on the Carakin people very specifically. The sensation is... strange. It is tingly, a bit tickly, spreading through the body, must like the same tickle you'd feel from using a disinfectant on a wound, without the pain. Then, the warmth flashes through, flushing away irregularities, ills, fatigue and sharpen the mind.
Arleph takes in another breath as he feels the effect of his own spell. Good. Symbology might not be able to heal, but he can certainly do something miraculous with his own Ambrosia Protocol.
DG: Arleph Ardan has used his Tool Ambrosia Protocol toward his party's challenge, The Missing Link.
===============================<* Mount Zulan *>================================
=======================<* CHALLENGE - The Missing Link *>=======================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
At long last, you've found the beast that brought this unnatural winter to
the mountain. It's huge--it stands almost ten feet tall, and its
powerfully-muscled body is covered in white fur. It walks upright,
sometimes, and with a hunched, knuckle-dragging gait at others. It is
terrifyingly strong, and its howl can cause the mountain to send forth an
avalanche.
It will take all your strength just to drive it off, after the long journey
up the mountain. Doing so might buy the people of Zulan a bit more time.
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
==========================<* Mount Zulan - Round 5 *>=========================== =========================< Results - The Missing Link >========================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jacqueline Barber 35 --(5)--> 40 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cyre H. Lorentz 35 --(5)--> 40 Pass Gale Claw 4 Combat Effects: Efficient and Rally -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carina Wynne 35 --(5)--> 40 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catenna 35 --(5)--> 40 Pass Celesdue Medium 2 Combat Effects: Embolden -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Beast 40 --(10)--> 50 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arleph Ardan 30 --(10)--> 40 Fail Ambrosia Protocol 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Jacqueline Barber 80 --(35)--> 115 Pass Conditions: Overzealous(1)|Wound(2) Effects: Cleanse|Embolden(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: You have overcome the dungeon's trials! This run is a success! DG: The party led by Jacqueline Barber has successfully explored Mount Zulan!
===============================<* Mount Zulan *>================================ =======================<* CHALLENGE - Snowsprout Grass *>======================= |Type: Discovery |Dungeon Ability: Conclusion|Challenge Rating: 1 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- Some of the plants that grow on Mt. Zulan have healing propeties, and while most haven't survived the extended winter, one variety has. Delicate grey-blue shoots peek up from nearby snow, and when it's cleared away, you find a large, healthy patch of snowsprout grass. This hardy plant thrives in even the harshest winters, and can be brewed into a medicinal tea. There's plenty here for you, and for the villagers of Zulan if you choose to bring some back for them. They would greatly appreciate it. =Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed. <SoundTracker> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFsfyAUV5xo
Arleph's magical mist washes over the CaraKin and even Locus breathes out in relief as fatigue leaves her. "Dang, that's the good stuff! You think we could have more potions in mist form later?" It would certainly help with the faceplate problem. But while Arleph does his team a solid, this exposes him to one of the Yeti's enormous, mighty fists. Oops. Sorry Arleph.
Catenna draws first blood by turning the tables on the colossal creature, hurling its own tree right back at it. It squints, unprepared for the laws of physics to suddenly turn against it, and its head is sent whipping with a sharp crack. Then comes Beast from the other side, biting onto its immense, meaty arm and not letting go, proving a heavy burden. It waves its arm, managing to dislodge her, but her distraction at least proves successful...
Jay takes advantage of said distraction by making the ground beneath the terrible beast's feet tremble and grow unsteady, until it outright launches it up. The Yeti lets out a deafening grunt of protest, but can't do much when Cyre snags what remains of the increasingly bare tree and smashes it back down in a massive shockwave and what can only be the crunch of bone.
The Yeti struggles, beset by two beasts and some spectacular spellcasters, and seems to be losing ground. It takes in a long breath, about to unleash its secret weapon once again--
"LOCUS EMERGENCY THROAT PUNCH!" Locus comes flying in, rocketing towards the Yeti with an extended fist and cutting off its air supply. Catastrophe is averted... for now.
Finally, wounded and battered, the beast shakes off the capital-B Beast and Cyre, then hops back away, much like the way it came. It disappears into the surrounding blizzard, which slows... then dies down.
"Whew." Locus wipes her brow, scratching against the metallic helmet with an unpleasant sound. "Well, guess runnin' it off is better than nothing. Now we know how to get to where it is, and we know we can probably beat it, right?"
That's happy news where she's concerned, though proceeding along the path yields one of the CaraKin's favorite things: medicinal herbs! Very rare ones, even. And just what the doctor ordered for the townspeople and for poor, poor Catenna.
It warms the heart, don't you think?
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
The Yeti disappears in the wake of everyone's efforts - many extraordinary, eye-catching - and the blizzard starts to fade. Locus moves forward to lead the charge towards the surviving medicinal herbs, but--
"There's one more." Ethius says, flatly, pointing the palm towards the animated segments of metal.
To the Seraph within, this might be interesting - but also worrying. The way that this new arrival seems to stare into the mass of floating metal bits, palm outstretched. She may be familiar with mortals who react with fear and anger so obvious in their eyes and voices. The man does not cast too much emotion to easily... read. She thanked him for his timely assistance, prior, but he does not seem keen to return that bit of polite discourse.
Did he even hear her?
He moves to inter himself between the vessel of Beast and the rest. Fearless. He seems to be a creature of meat, water, and bone, like any other mortal. The eyes that do not communicate much are certainly doing their best to take. Every shifting movement of the mass of metallic segments. He is sizing them up.
There's all the telltale signs that Ethius might be about to try and melt something else, unless one moves quickly to get him to stand down. The fingers of the outstretched hand are already fluttering with a grace and fluidity that defies just how close to frozen solid those fingers must be!
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
It's a difficult battle, but eventually they emerge victorious...for now, anyway. The creature was defeated but not gone, and while it might return again, they'd at least bought the village some time.
Jacqueline distributes potions to anyone who needs them, but before they can proceed toward the medicinal herbs, Ethius does something that...well, is honestly completely expected of him. Jacqueline moves quickly, trying to grab a tight hold of the arm he's pointing at the Beast and push it down.
"Ethius, wait! She's a friend of ours...she helped us on our way up here! We wouldn't have gotten this far without her..." Jacqueline pleads.
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.
The perils of being a healer. It gets aggro.
Arleph get socked rather hard by a fist about half as big as his entire body. As predictably, the symbologist crumbles after tumbling, rolling and slamming into the side of a rocky wall after the whole travel have been done. He's covered in snow, crumbled on the floor as he groans out.
"Uuuuuugh." He complains, rubbing his face as he staggers to a knee, holding his hat(still strapped to his head), looking eye blearily out. "Did we... win?"
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
It never ceases to awe Catenna when Cyre channels the power of Fengalon like that.
All she can really do is watch and throw support spells, though. Curling deep into her cloak, Catenna looks on as Locus finishes the job. As the Yeti scrambles off, she manages to pull herself up enough to follow along behind the group.
She's tired and it's hard. Her breath keeps turning to steam in front of her and the wind keeps cutting at her ears. She sniffs again and hunkers down, wrapping her arms around herself and muttering something in Zortroan.
She processes the sight of the wintergrass but she can't really find the words right now because the air feels like hurting and she wants to go home and cry next to a hot woodstove.
And then Ethius makes to threaten Beast. Catenna blinks at him a couple of times, then raises her eyebrows as she realizes what he's up to.
"Chapan," she recites through the sniffles, holding a hand out towards him.
It might be hard for Ethius to go after Beast when gravity is doing its level best to flip him harmlessly but disorientingly upside down and stick him to an open spot about twelve feet in the air.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
The battle is won. Given the amount of firepower being thrown around up here (chances are very good that this is at least somewhat visible from down in the village), it's maybe not a surprise. The divine tiger chuffs softly as the yeti turns to flee and seems to be getting ready to pursue when....
When Ethius Hesiod decides to be a real moron.
"Oh my fluffy god, Ethius. Put your fool arm down before you hurt somebody," Cyre rumbles as he emerges from the incarnate form of the Guardian of the Wind. "She's a friend. A Seraph. Calm down."
He would go over there and deal with that whole thing himself, but...
He has to help Arleph up too.
"Hey, you alright?" Cyre asks, lifting the STRANGE HERBALIST up out of the snow. "Took a big hit there. We drove the thing away, though."
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Jay moves to push down Ethius' arm. This, in tandem with Catenna's quickly recited spell, flips him in such a way that it gives the appearance that Jay one-arm flips the man into the air so hard that the air is afraid to slight Jay by putting him back down. He is understandably taken aback by this.
"...She?" He fails to completely surpress his surprise, his speaking tone a bit louder, noticeably quicker-paced from just that one word. Incredulous. (For hanging upside down in frigid cold air with a twinge in his shoulder from combination Jay stoppage plus Catenna flipping, he does seem to maintain his composure for the most part.)
...He puts a hand to his forehead. While flipped upside down, suspended in the air. Twelve feet on up, as Cyre patiently explains that this is a Seraph, and not a--
--No, he will not be discussing that out loud. It's not something he can presently verify.
"Is that so." That is all he seems to be able to manage. Maybe while he's up there he could work on a good 'I'm sorry.' He's got that hand on his forehead, which he seems to like to do in the middle of difficult thoughts. Saying he's sorry about anything seems to be an unreasonably difficult task for him by all appearances, so is that what he's thinking about, maybe?
While suspended twelve feet in the air, upside down?
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
Catenna does eventually let Ethius go once he's calmed down a little.
She makes sure to flip him right way up and let him down gently, of course. She's freezing but she's not mean.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Beast has posed.
The Beast is battered, slammed against the icy ground, but she recollects her pieces and attacks again - she's not going to let this end like last time. She doesn't manage to do much damage, but she's not aiming to do damage. She's aiming to soak damage.
And boy, is she soaking damage. Thankfully, Arleph's healing mists seep through her air, healing her.
Luckily, as well, there's another beast here - Cyre, and something else, with winds strange and yet familiar. Together, they're able to keep the yeti occupied - and the might of CaraKin proceeds to drive it away.
"Thank goodness," the Beast says, weariness in her voice and the way her pieces seem to sag a little in the air. She gives the impression of just standing, despite not having a face to show it with. "... these herbs are sorely needed by the villagers."
But there's one more problem, isn't there?
Ethius steps forward, utterly fearless, and the Beast of Lohgrin regards him with empty eyes. Her headpieces turn, and turn, in the fashion of a curious owl. She does not move to attack. "I see you care deeply for them," she says, instead.
If he can hear her.
The others move in her defense - Jacqueline moving for his arm, Catenna using a spell, Cyre resorting to his words. It's - it's touching. It's touching, and yet, she is causing trouble here. The Beast picks herself up, pieces shaking in loose accord. "... please, there is no need for this. I will leave you in peace, with one request: see these herbs find their way to Zulan."
Slowly, cutting a wide path around them to avoid alarming the upside-down Ethius, the Beast begins to leave.
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.
"I... am fine." Arleph says, taking Cyre's aid to get back to his feet, rubbing his face with a gloved hand, looking over at the feline. "Good, good... That's good. That should be buying them some time, then."
It takes him some moment to fully gather back everything that is happening, adjusting his glasses that, miraculously, seems to be only a bit ajar on his face. He takes in the situation, looking from Ethius then to the Beast herself. He still don't fully know what she is... but at this point...
"Hey!" he calls out, staggering fully to his feet. "Thanks you for you aid, Noble Spirit. You saved our asses a few times, in there. May we meet again!"
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.
Oh, so THAT's what Ethius meant.
"Whoawhoawhoa, hold on, hold on! She's a friend!" Locus says, waving her arms around frantically and ready to interpose herself between the Beast and Ethius. But others make their case, and the man relents, realizing the misunderstanding.
Locus slumps. "Aw, jeez, my heart skipped a beat there. Hey, is Beast-friend gonna come back with us? She's been real helpful and probably deserves, huh... whatever it is that statues like?" She heard the bit about her being a Seraph, but does that mean this isn't her true form? Carina doesn't know about this stuff!
And while she ponders it, Beast makes her exit! "Aw, jeez!!" Locus says, her head swiveling to watch her leave.
We briefly switch to 4koma-vision, as big beady tears hang from her insect eyes. "May we see you again someday, surely, beneath the stars..........."
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Ethius is set down gently. His hand is still to his forehead. He doesn't seem to have any words for the large collection of metal pieces. Something is very strange about the claims about the Seraph, he recognizes, unaware that this 'very strange' thing seems to be based on incomplete information fragments.
...
What about him, his actions, and his goals aren't based on incomplete information fragments?
He never turns away from Seraph Beast until he sees no further color of her metal body, no sound of the metal pieces against itself, the ground, or anything - at which point he turns to address the other find - or maybe he will finally say I'm sorry!! That would be a Discovery card unto itself.
"When we return, I will ensure there is adequate warmth." This, after having expended who knows how many calories just chaining higher-end heat spells back-to-back throughout the encounter? He has no commentary about the herbs, or who's looking to handle them, or...
...He just turns his back on the rest, eyes back out towards the snowy horizon. He clearly and openly opposed, in word, what it is they were intending to do - but why? Ethius hasn't been against helping people before, has he?
Some of them know full well to what end he was willing to go for Lydia.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
"I'd hope so," Cyre answers Arleph. "If that wasn't enough to drive it back for at least a little while, we might need to resort to way more drastic measures." And Cyre isn't even sure how much preptime they could get up here in the middle of a blizzard. "Be right back," he says, then. "You'll be okay on your own, right?"
OF COURSE HE WILL BE, he's a merchant. Being punched into walls is normal in that line of work.
But...!
Before she can depart fully, Beast...
SUDDENLY FINDS HERSELF BEING INTERCEPTED.
"You're being a damn fool too," the shaman says to the metal statue that could probably snap him like a twig. "Look at you. You're as beat up as the rest of us and you're about to head off into the wilderness? Don't be so reckless."
He's... He's...!
Oh no, he's using A BIG BROTHER VOICE.
"At least come back to the Caravan to rest before you head off. We need you to help carry the herbs back anyway; or do you think any of us look like we can haul that many bundles of plants back down the mountain without falling off a cliff or something?"
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Jacqueline is just a little alarmed as Catenna invokes her sorceries against Ethius, causing him to be flipped upside just at about the time she tries to restrain him.
"Yes, she. Have you...not been able to hear her?" Jacqueline asks, confused. He's...backed down, at least. Or at least he seems to have done so. She turns to give the Beast an apologetic look.
"I-I'm so sorry... Please don't take offense, that's just...how he is..." She says. But, it seems the Beast is set on leaving, but not without a request.
"Yes, of course. I will make sure of that. I'll take good care of them...the herbs, and the people of Zulan. Please, take care, Beast of Lohgrin." Jacqueline says, bowing politely. She then kneels down and begins to harvest the herbs carefully.
As she does so, though, Cyre...rushes off, to try to offer the Beast some help. Jacqueline can't help but smile slightly.
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.
Arleph, still somewhat konked out from being slammed into a wall, leans against the cracked wall and waving a hand. "What he said!" he calls out. "I've got some tomato sauce just waiting to be made, if you eat!"
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
The proceedings are interrupted by something else.
Catenna sneezes. Loudly.
She blushes at the suddenness of it and hunkers down into her cloak, her eyes wide and watering a little at the outer corners - but it's evident enough why she hasn't joined in on the arguments. Her teeth are chattering behind the cloak, she's shivering, and her normally dark-tan complexion has begun to take on a tinge of pale blue around the tips of her ears. She wraps her arms around herself as tight as she possibly can.
"C-c-c-c-can we j-j-just get out of here, p-p-please," she manages through the shivers, her voice quite small.
Catenna really, really is not used to wet and cold weather.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Beast has posed.
They describe her as a friend-! They want to see her again! They like her!!
The Beast of Lohgrin feels regret, as she trudges away. But she knows she should not cause trouble, and she'll cause trouble with their friend if she stays. She is an alarming beast, after all. She's always known this.
But there's one small, tiny problem in her master plan to just leave this awkward situation before it boils over into a fight.
It's called 'Cyre'.
The Beast pulls up as Cyre catches her, one claw curling in the air. "I -" - what is that tone? Is he - what? No. That's not - he can't brother her, that's not allowed. "I am fine," she insists, weakly.
But he, in turn, insists they need her help. "But, your friend..." ... but he's right. Especially the ones who were beaten up. She can't truly push this onto them. "I - you - you are right. I could not allow you to be hurt. Please... let your friend know I mean no harm."
She'll come back with them, and help them bring back the herbs, though she'll be sure not to get too close to Ethius. And it's a good thing, too, because that yeti... it kind of beat her up.
Off to the caravan!
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
FRIEND ACQUIRED - SERAPH BEAST