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Post by Krakenbox on Feb 26, 2021 15:06:14 GMT -8
The cacophony wails and trumpets through the pass, the music still quietly drifting through the soundproofing given the deafening nature of the chaos that was ensuing outside. The ground shook slightly as something from beyond the protected wall passed over the encampment in a flurry of movement and sound. The shaking didn't taper off and stop even as Firebringer and Finn awoke for their respective shifts. The affect of the magic appeared to be blocked with the nature of the soundproofing. The sun rose. The Trod was almost unrecognizable, shaped and altered with twilight revelry. The She-Wolf was quiet and cautious, venturing first before the others, and snapping at Ben in a feral manner when the Oracle tried to pass her. After about an hour while the rest had breakfast, she returned, indicating where the Trod had shifted. Splashes of neon blood coated her blackened armour, but she explained not much had manifested in the wake of the roving Keeper. It must have been in a hurry. Despite the Oracle having made a call last night, he didn't seem any more confident with the situation. Buck Chasseur ventured with the obvious question about the Hydra, dangling to the newer Lost whether the pursuit was still worth it to them; given the danger that they had just avoided. The She-Wolf didn't seem dissuaded, claiming they were about a half day's hike from signs of its main hunting ground. Besides, leaving now would mean they would likely run into the Gentry between here and the Freehold. It was better to let It pass once it encountered Vegas' wards.
Hobs were summoned and sent to give warning either way, if they could make it through.
Artemis's Bane were agitated, given the Fair Folk came from the direction of LA.
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Post by Rowan on Feb 26, 2021 17:34:09 GMT -8
Rowan nibbled on his ration pack, forcing himself to eat the cold apple sauce and the cold cinnamon oatmeal. He hated the taste, but he knew that he needed to be full strength to be useful. He was sucking on a grape jelly packet when the She-Wolf returned.
The mineral material (or was it vines?) that covered the entrance drew his attention and made him uncomfortable. He heard the heard talk of Keepers and shifting trods didn't involve him until Buck asked if he wanted to continue. He shrugged. He didn't mind going after the hydra. The liberating sense of revenge that filled him from walking the forest, but being stalker rather than prey drove him on - it felt like reclaiming something that was taken away.
"I'm good to keep going."
He didn't add that he didn't want to be the one to tell the She-Wolf they should go back. Or was it a test, to see if they were foolhardy enough to keep rushing into trouble? Ben didn't look convinced.
"Avoiding the Keeper isn't a bad idea." He gathered his meagre belongings and moved to help Buck with his before shouldering them for the walk ahead, like they had discussed the day before.
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Post by Kai Rose on Feb 27, 2021 11:16:37 GMT -8
Kai had eaten and was brushing her teeth as the discussion of whether to turn around or go forward came up. She was acutely aware of how fortunate they'd been not to have been swept up in whatever the hell happened outside. Hours of whatever the hell that was passing through was worrisome. She imagined that if they'd been engaged by it, none of them would have survived. She indicated that she was good to continue, not wanting to run into that grim parade behind her on the way home by going back too quickly.
"It was a hell of a call, Ben. Nice work." She flashed the Oracle a genuine smile before looking to She-Wolf, Buck and Lancelot. "What makes Keepers roll through the Hedge like that?"
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Linden
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Presence (3) Steady
Posts: 325
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Post by Linden on Feb 27, 2021 22:28:08 GMT -8
The night's events weighed on Linden's mind as they ate. Being that close to a procession hadn't made sleep very compelling, but once their shift had been done they dozed as best they could. What insane luck, to have avoided detection so narrowly. Being wounded by the Hydra was almost a given in their mind, but they had failed to imagine running into a Keeper on the trod.
"I'm not in a rush to see those folks again; good to keep going." They flashed a thumbs up and tucked the end of a protein puck into their cheek to soften.
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Firebringer
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Elemental Ifrit, Presence 3 (Intimidating)
Posts: 634
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Post by Firebringer on Feb 28, 2021 10:39:08 GMT -8
We just barely avoided a Keeper. Well, that's great. That thought makes Fire's stomach churn a bit, but she shoves that down. "If we are more likely to encounter the thing trying to head back especially, I'm definitely on board with continuing forward. Not that I wasn't before anyway." The Elemental shrugs.
She gets her pack together while she sips upon a sugar water concoction and nibbles on a protein bar that she personally hates the taste of. Why is it always the thing that is ultra packed with all the nutrients you want tastes absolutely disgusting? And the worst part is that the people who make them try to put good flavors into them. Like, plain, does it taste that much worse to make it taste like pretend cookie dough? But these were just her inner rants.
Pack all put together and rations taken care of, she slings it over her shoulder and gathers with the others, ready to set off when they are.
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Finn
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Played by Swift
Posts: 139
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Post by Finn on Mar 1, 2021 22:41:46 GMT -8
Finn is a little blurry in the morning. He'd sat his shift on hyper-vigilant alert after hearing about what had happened. And he'd spent his night staring at a wall of vines. Great. But he'd made an attempt at cowboy coffee and was edging his way into sanity. He simply nods when asked a question, not entirely keeping up, but very aware of the trouble they'd avoided - and were possibly in.
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Post by Krakenbox on Mar 3, 2021 23:14:49 GMT -8
Kai never got a straight answer. Even the She-Wolf as the reigning authority on the esoteric nonsense of the Wyrd surmised that it was likely a travelling spirit, but from what little information Kai and Linden could provide it was a moot point. A troupe of revelry and chaotic movement, like the poems about dancing in the fairy rings until your feet bled out. Ben seemed pained, and with some coaxing he tried to convey a series of patterns he read that he was clearly aware sounded like the ramblings of a paranoid madman. One of the stags from earlier avoided the light while it grazed; he'd heard everyone laugh within the last hour before they stopped, but the group he marked for the watch (no one had); the moss had sung (it had not); he had noticed a silver dollar on the road through the scope that wasn't there when he had reached it. The occasional wisp manifested in the afterglow, the familiar song immediately drawing Buck and the She-Wolf's attention as they snatched at the lights like distracted children before anyone could stop them. Nothing happened. What would have happened if those of a higher connection to Arcadia had been woken up?
They shook it off.
Ben's stutter was bad today, and he looked legitimately sick. Even with insistence of a quick look-over and medical check in with those like Finn or Lancelot, it was declared to be psychosomatic. He turned down Buck's offer for healing, slapping his hand away and muttering something about bad timing. He actually teared up when She-Wolf floated the proposal of transforming to her Arcadian prime, and she dropped the subject, shuffling awkwardly back to tracking like a normal human with a long suffering frown. The last warning had been a dud, and she knew his anxiety was, in fact, delusional most of the time. The Thorns made her itch worse than any Elemental, sometimes hunching to examine a trail on all fours.
As promised, after hours of trekking over trampled ground in the twilight-neon forest, the Legate triumphantly pointed out a slithering pattern that led into marsh. It looked like several massive snakes had worked their way through the softening soil, disappearing into the chaotic brambles and trees of the harsh terrain.
The roots grew like human forms struggling to pull themselves free from the sticky mud.
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Post by Krakenbox on Mar 3, 2021 23:58:35 GMT -8
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Post by Rowan on Mar 4, 2021 21:19:25 GMT -8
The air grew a little thicker around the Darkling as his head released spores that moved around him like a swarm of tiny bees. With a movement of his arms, they shot out into the hazy swamp.
However, the dense and humid air stopped the cloud in its wake, leaving Rowan as blind as everyone else. He jumped a little to readjust the straps of his heavier load and moved closer to the She-Wolf and Ben. "I figured, since we can't really see, I'd try tracking by sound. I can always try later, no sense in burning Glamour for now."
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Finn
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Played by Swift
Posts: 139
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Post by Finn on Mar 4, 2021 22:16:48 GMT -8
Finn pauses, studying the shift in terrain. He nods, lighter in hand, and studies the tracks in the earth for a long moment before quietly murmuring, "Is that our prey, or is it another nest of beasties to be wary of I wonder."
He watches as Rowan transforms himself, inwardly tensing a little. That man had an uncanny ability to put him on edge.
Still, he understands the practicality of it. He readies himself to enter the swamp as cautiously as possible, keeping an eye on the tracks and on the mists.
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Post by Kai Rose on Mar 6, 2021 15:36:48 GMT -8
Kai helped the team to track, her Hedgespun bow resting in her hand as she occasionally hunkered down to observe the tracks. She remained silent, choosing not to fill the air with additional noise that could potentially be overheard by their quarry.
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Firebringer
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Elemental Ifrit, Presence 3 (Intimidating)
Posts: 634
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Post by Firebringer on Mar 6, 2021 16:07:42 GMT -8
Firebringer continues along the path with the others, but just... something seems to be getting to her. Maybe it was the events from before, the idea of a Keeper moving around, the destroyed terrain making it difficult for them to see what's ahead. She mutters to herself quietly, "Crap..." And takes a deep breath, keeping along with the others, hoping they have a better idea of what they are seeing than she does.
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Linden
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Presence (3) Steady
Posts: 325
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Post by Linden on Mar 6, 2021 19:26:55 GMT -8
Linden hadn't gone into the Hedge expecting good visibility, but this was something else entirely. As their companions looked to track the beast, their attention was fixed on the fog and their mind on what might be hiding in it. The shifting lights made it too difficult to tell what was moving and what was stationary, the human-like tangles of roots faking the Ogre out more than once. Rowan's suggestion to track by sound made sense, but the fog wasn't helping them on that front either.
"Not that I'm an expert," they began softly, "But do hydras slither? I thought they had legs." It was perhaps beside the point, but it meant the difference between one huge snake and several to them.
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Post by Krakenbox on Mar 6, 2021 22:46:18 GMT -8
"Oh! Lovely!" the Knight proclaims as Rowan splits into blooming fungi that eat away the surface of his fleshy mien.
Finn takes the lead, focused with an intensity that knows the importance of keeping unseen and the consequences that stem from it; sliding his foot forward gingerly in the much to tap roots and going slow to not clink the armour and scouting ahead, however eventually he loses the trail.
Kai spots the subtle trail from the nicks and fresh wounds to the wood, but catching up evaporates any sense of stealth as she tromps through the muck alongside Firebringer and Linden talking.
After a time, the trail disappears.
Firebringer suddenly dips below the surface, a ripple of alarm running through the group.
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Firebringer
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Elemental Ifrit, Presence 3 (Intimidating)
Posts: 634
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Post by Firebringer on Mar 6, 2021 22:54:40 GMT -8
Firebringer makes a gasp as she feels her body dip below ground, flailing her arms in surprise. "Shit!" Feeling the water surround her skin, she feels like she is suffocating and she is flailing for dear life as if her flame could be snuffed out at any moment.
She is able to keep herself afloat for a moment to call out, "Help please!" her voice is shrill, as if she feels like she might be dying. She's doing whatever she can to keep her body above water, given her short stature. There is a fear she is quicker to drown than others because of it. Panic begins to consume her, her heart racing, a tight knot in her throat, a chill starting to roll down her spine.
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