Outside 40: It's all downhill from here

[Hyperbolic sine]

[Darkwater Mine]

Wenomir attempts to creep closer to the gnolls in order to hear what they're saying. Thanks to his agility and extremely precise control over his movements, he's surprisingly stealthy for a man of his size and equipment.

Wraal, unfortunately, is not, so the Krogan will remain where he is, counting the enemies.

[Arkhosia]

[Darkwater Mine]



Wraal, unfortunately, is not, so the Krogan will remain where he is, counting the enemies.

Sophia follows Wraal's lead, and though stealthy, her gear does make her less stealthy.
after all, two rectangles of hollow metal on either side of the waist do mske one s bit of a larger target, and the blades sheathed may rattle slightly. the boxes don't hit eachother or any other parts besides the blades though, cuz of the design

[Gullara]

[Otherworldly Portal]

"But people make stuff out of hair all the time! Well, usually small things, but it's easy to make big things for me!" The pixie argues. "I wouldn't need very muuuuch."

"So stay away." The orange pixie grabs at her friend and tried to tug him away. He struggles to get away from her. They toss each other back and forth precariously close to the chamber.

[Peaceful Spring]

"Why do you have to take it?" Kitty asks with a bit of interest. She has fairly limited experience with medication, though certainly not none. Maybe it's for pain? But Invidia seems to be fine.

[Arkhosia]

Peaceful spring

"i'd rather not talkabout it, okay? it'skinda an uncomfortable topic for me...."
invidia replies, more shy than nervous

[Shadowcaller]

[Darkwater Mine]

As the mercenaries jump off the transport Wraal and Sophie can see that there are two droids armed with laser guns, two gnolls, one of them armed with some sort of steam-punk chain-saw and the other with something that appears loaded with saw-blades. The last mercenary on the trailer is the ogre, only armed with two enormous metal gloves with steam meters on them.

Along with the driver and the small gnoll there are a total of seven mercenaries, eight if you count the steampunk battle armor.

Spoiler: What Wenomir can hear and see.

Show

"...only three?" Wenomir can hear the driver asks as he sneaks closer.

"Yes, two pig-skins and big frog-guy." The scout replies as he points at the tunnel they just emerged from. "Have not come out yet."

"Let's just whack em'!" The ogre exclaims as she smashes her two gloves together.

Spoiler: What Wenomir can hear and see

Show

The driver frowns. "They mercenaries like us. Employer said we just pay 'em and they go away, no need to risk precious hides..." Her right goes along an ugly looking scar going across her snout.

[Otherwordly Portal]

Cessie suppresses a sigh, it was time to be pragmatic. "Alright, but only if you keep away your friends from that chamber my friend created, okay? It's very dangerous and they're too close now." She points up in the sky where the two other pixies are making trouble. "If they get in there, I can't give you any hair belt."

[Peaceful Spring]

"It's alright, we were just curious." Obriane assures Invidia. "You don't need to tell us." She says with a smile.

[Rebonack]

[Otherworldly Portal]

Geneva's ear twitches at Cessie's comment.

She's pretty sure that having three pixies tussling around right in front of the sequestering chamber is worse than two, so she moves to take matters into her own talons. The two pixies may very well find themselves being carefully, though firmly, grabbed by the hippogriff and hauled away from the chamber. Said paw/talons/hand things are easily large enough to completely envelope a human's head, so snagging the pixies shouldn't be that hard.

"Please, this isn't any time to be fighting. You said you wanted to explore? I can give you directions to the City nearby."

It sounded like they were interesting in that!

Right...?

Hopefully this will be enough to get them focused on something else.

And physically somewhere else.

[Lord Magtok]

Melody's Island - Barn

Melody looks surprised. Really!? she smiles at Happy. Momma, you don't need my permission to date anyone. Well... she shrinks a little as she thinks of at least one person she'd rather not see her mom dating. Well, maybe not anyone. But really, I've known that you and Magtok have been close friends for years now. If I'd had any problem with you two being together, I think I might have voiced it by now. I just want you to be happy, Momma. And if that's with a cyborg lunatic, so be it. she smirks at Magtok.

"Us lunatics have to stick together," Happy says. Then looks more seriously at Melody. "Thank you. Your approval means a lot to me."

"I'll try to visit more than once a year," Magtok adds, still a little irked with his own failure to drop by and say hello now and then. If it got to the point that Reinholdt was the favored of the two rogues, something was clearly wrong around here.

[Morty]

[Darkwater Mine]

Wenomir turns to the others and nods gravely. That's enough for him to realize they're a clean-up crew. He draws one of the knives he acquired in the Hunting Grounds once and sends it flying at the large droid, trying to stay in cover. Shout it hit, it will disrupt electronic and cybernetics around it. Wenomir will aim for the thing's weapons.

[Hyperbolic sine]

[Darkwater Mine]

Wenomir's actions are exactly what Wraal was waiting for...and it will surely be easier for the warrior (and the other two) to remain hidden if the mercenaries are focused on something else. That something is a Krogan that, in the blink of an eye, surrounded by a blue halo covers the distance between him and one of the two laser-armed droids, phasing through whatever is on the path and being actually invulnerable (at least physically) during the whole movement (not that it really matters, given its extremely short duration). The unlucky droid, barring supernatural means of avoiding the biotic charge, will be hit with the force of a SUV at full speed, and then the other droid (or, if it's not at shotgun range, the nearest enemy) will found itself on the receiving end of a high-powered shotgun blast. A little cylinder, exactly like the one he gave to the goblin, is ejected from the weapon and falls to the ground, radiating heat: the raw power of the Claymore comes at the cost of a one-shot clip, and whoever notices the ejection might be able to guess so. The sound of the thermal clip hitting the ground, however, is covered by a shout:

"SURPRISE!"

[Lost_Deep]

The Weald

"Probably not a whole day's trip, but still long. Better be safe, then." he says, taking one thick belt full of things and attaching it in its place. He gives a wave. "I don't really need the rest of it, though. It's just insurance. Thanks, and I'll be back within a day with any luck." he says, and he goes off by her instructions.

After a while, the tree gate is... really obvious. It's two huge tress with curved trunks that fuse together at the tops. If he passes through them, he'll notice that the air feels a little strange, the colors seem a little more vibrant... and the air feels crisper.

[Deathkeeper]

The Weald

Arty looks up at the gate and gives an appreciative whistle. It's quite interesting, but he doesn't have time to examine it. His pace speeds up a little bit as he passes through it, noting the odd, crisp feeling of the air. Odd, that, but again, he has a job to do, and no time to dilly-dally worrying about such things.

[Lost_Deep]

The Weald

He might miss it, but he'll soon pass a log crawling with termites. They won't react to him if he doesn't mess with them.

[Deathkeeper]

The Weald

Arty would have missed it under normal conditions, but in this case he was explicitly looking out for termites.
"Termites. Follow the termites, she said." he says, looking down at the insects to see which way they're going. And he will follow them if that's obvious.

[Morty]

[Back to the Pine Forest]

The tree seems to turn halfway into a pillar of rock, but the illusion is incomplete. The partial transformation is dizzying and confusing. Then, everything is over. The volcanic wasteland turns back into a forest again. And suddenly, a blinding ray of multi-coloured light is fired at Marcus' face.

[Aric Kale]

Pine Fo-OHMYGOD

Marcus has no time to pat himself on the back for his cleverness, instead, the quick thinking soldier has to raise his shield in an instant. Depending on how much force is in the blow, he will either stumble backwards, relatively unharmed from the actual magic, or he will receive a flying lesson, still unaffected by the magic itself. His runes were strong.

[Arkhosia]

[Darkwater Mine]

Wenomir's actions are exactly what Wraal was waiting for...and it will surely be easier for the warrior (and the other two) to remain hidden if the mercenaries are focused on something else. That something is a Krogan that, in the blink of an eye, surrounded by a blue halo covers the distance between him and one of the two laser-armed droids, phasing through whatever is on the path and being actually invulnerable (at least physically) during the whole movement (not that it really matters, given its extremely short duration). The unlucky droid, barring supernatural means of avoiding the biotic charge, will be hit with the force of a SUV at full speed, and then the other droid (or, if it's not at shotgun range, the nearest enemy) will found itself on the receiving end of a high-powered shotgun blast. A little cylinder, exactly like the one he gave to the goblin, is ejected from the weapon and falls to the ground, radiating heat: the raw power of the Claymore comes at the cost of a one-shot clip, and whoever notices the ejection might be able to guess so. The sound of the thermal clip hitting the ground, however, is covered by a shout:

"SURPRISE!"

Wraal, focus on the armored or long ranged enemies, you're better equipped for such!
Sophia, on the other hand, charges from her hiding spot towards the ogre. Her blades are drawn in a flash, and a grappling hook launches at the ogre's face, aiming to hit her eyes. Sophia follows the hook swiftly, swinging her blades with great force once she gets close and aiming to behead or at least split open the face of her enemy.
Seid ihr das Essen?
Nein, wir sind der Jäger!
She sings with pride, her battle cry ringing in the cave as she soars at the enemy, flames of excitement and determination in her eyes.

[Gullara]

Peaceful spring

"i'd rather not talkabout it, okay? it'skinda an uncomfortable topic for me...."
invidia replies, more shy than nervous

[Peaceful Spring]

"It's alright, we were just curious." Obriane assures Invidia. "You don't need to tell us." She says with a smile.

[Peaceful Spring]

"Yeah, that's fine." It's no big deal. Kitty moves closer to Obriane, Annie in tow. "Hey Annie, want to see Obriane?" She holds the squirming baby out to Obriane, a ridiculous grin on her face.

[Otherwordly Portal]

Cessie suppresses a sigh, it was time to be pragmatic. "Alright, but only if you keep away your friends from that chamber my friend created, okay? It's very dangerous and they're too close now." She points up in the sky where the two other pixies are making trouble. "If they get in there, I can't give you any hair belt."

[Otherworldly Portal]

Geneva's ear twitches at Cessie's comment.

She's pretty sure that having three pixies tussling around right in front of the sequestering chamber is worse than two, so she moves to take matters into her own talons. The two pixies may very well find themselves being carefully, though firmly, grabbed by the hippogriff and hauled away from the chamber. Said paw/talons/hand things are easily large enough to completely envelope a human's head, so snagging the pixies shouldn't be that hard.

"Please, this isn't any time to be fighting. You said you wanted to explore? I can give you directions to the City nearby."

It sounded like they were interesting in that!

Right...?

Hopefully this will be enough to get them focused on something else.

And physically somewhere else.

[Otherwordly Portal]

"Okay okay!" The purple pixie hurries over toward her friends. "HEY! KNOCK IT OFF!" She's about the join the fray when Geneva intervenes.

The other two pixies suddenly forget their bickering instantly! They look mildly terrified as well, but what can you do? "Um, yeah! The city!" The other one nods his head in agreement.

"Yeah, no fighting. We can go exploring instead." Purple says in a scolding voice.

[Lost_Deep]

The Weald

Arty would have missed it under normal conditions, but in this case he was explicitly looking out for termites.
"Termites. Follow the termites, she said." he says, looking down at the insects to see which way they're going. And he will follow them if that's obvious.

It is. Following those, he will find what appears to be a termite castle. It's four large termite mounds around one VERY big central mound. It's breathtaking. It's covered in termites, but they don't care as long as Arty does not touch or get too close to the mound.

[Deathkeeper]

The Weald

Arty wouldn't touch the mound, but he might get a little close.
"Um, hello? I've come with a message for the Termite Queen?" he calls out, trying to sound like he has some idea of what he's doing. Trying being the operative word.

[Lost_Deep]

The Weald

Oh have you?

The voice is in Arty's head, and a moment after that a vision should enter his mind's eye: the torso of a woman, slim but beautiful, with very long golden hair that is wrapped around her torso like a robe. This torso is on one end of a great white mass that is taller than the human torso, and throbs rhythmically. Arty cannot see it's other end, it's facing him head-on. This woman has a regal feel to her, and a slightly foreboding one at that.

[Deathkeeper]

The Weald

Arty tries to look pleasant.
"Yes, the nymph Arlia asked me to tell you that she wishes to speak to you about striking a deal to deal with Valuth." he says, trying to not be bothered by the vision.

[Lost_Deep]

The Weald

Oh? She raises an eyebrow. What has the chronic mother so riled up? She doesn't usually care about anything unless someone hurts one of her ever-increasing number of children.

[Deathkeeper]

The Weald

"Apparently he rerouted her river." he says in response.

[Lost_Deep]

The Weald

That would do it. she shakes her head. I'm not sure what she thinks she will offer me, but I will speak to her.

[Deathkeeper]

The Weald

Arty nods.
"All right; I'll give her your response. Thank you." he says, bowing his head and perhaps turning to go?

[Lost_Deep]

The Weald

The image fades as he bows, and he can leave without difficulty.

[Deathkeeper]

The Weald

Well, I guess Arty turns to go then! Not much else to do besides go back and report his success.

[Lost_Deep]

The Weald

He makes it back as the sun is setting. The nymph is nowhere to be seen, and his stuff is untouched.

[Deathkeeper]

The Weald

Arty looks around, spending a moment to check his little pile of stuff before going over to the water.
"Hello? Miss Arlia? I delivered the message." he calls, pawing at the pond with a hoof.

[Lost_Deep]

The Weald

Arlia comes up, sitting atop a pillow of water. "I appreciate it. And of course I'll spread the word about your offer! How can people get in contact with you?"

Technicolor Forest

The forest comes in every color of the window, but is very still. The density of the plants is more like a rainforest than a temperate forest, but there's no movement beyond the wind and no sound of animals. The plants smell... odd, but like plants, and there are no animal smells.