One Step Away [Ugnir,Rook,Clyde,Elias,Sevris]

by **Prophet** on April 24th, 2018, 8:59 pm

The Symmenestra was an easy being to read. Naturally, he expected the typical racist views from the humans. Ravok was not known for its kindness to the other races and he -technically- shouldn’t have been allowed to join the Black Sun. That being said, here he was and there they all were following along like sheep in an ever-narrowing pen. The small talk did little to cover the gasps the frail-looking being was using to breath as they finally came to a stop. The information he gathered from the Commander and each of the other individuals was more than enough to decipher the next phase of things. Furthermore, the ever-observant eyes of obsidian and ivory did not miss the whispered communications that bore looks of distrust his way...or maybe it was disgust. Either way, Vlad could not hear that conversation but he wasn’t so naive as to ignore it.

Once they had all introduced themselves in a round-a-bout way, the agent bowed his head to each one in turn then looked to Clyde. Directly behind the lanky robed figure was a small footpath that appeared to lead into the rocks and away from the beach. The unsettling gaze fixed itself upon the unit commander and with a slight bow, Vlad made his request. “Commander Sullins, I have need of your tactics. Starting at this point and moving north, there are several paths which lead into the cliffs towards our destination. Unfortunately, my scouts were unable to ascertain a direct route so we’ll need to investigate several at a time then report back to the beach with our findings.” Vlad may have looked devious from various perspectives but one could clearly see the cool of his logic on his face as he worked through their predicament out loud. As much as Samara’s hide was on the line for this venture- his was even more exposed. Being the nonhuman made him an automatic scapegoat. “There is one such path behind me and there are two more within earshot of this locale; one further up and another that we’ve already passed. I propose we split up and hearing the talents of each member, Commander Sullins and Master Einar could take the path to the south. Mage Caldera and Madam Eliza can take the slave and travel to the northerly path up the beach and I’ll take Dan with all of his wilderness skills and Bea with me to this one behind us.”

Vlad turned slowly and looked into the slim line of trees that faded into sharp rock faces and rising cliffs that hung with wet clouds, heavy in appearance and it seemed the tufts of vapor had a way of settling upon the minds and fears of those in attendance on the beach. “Three or four hundred paces should be far enough to breach the rocks. I’m told there’s a cove, of sorts, that lies on the other side which will lead into a larger wooded area which is where our destination lies. Call out for trouble or launch a fireball into the air so the rest of us can see it.” The pale, beastly creature turned back around and stared at Clyde. “I’m not a military man, Commander. Does that all seem sound to you? We can report back as soon as we learn whether or not the trail will pass and it shouldn’t take more than a bell or two.” While the Ebonstryfe was an army of order, its members were all very ambitious. Dan, Bea and Eliza all seemed to understand and were ready to begin. Eyes moved from face to face until everyone was watching Clyde.

Players :

Paths :

by **Clyde Sullins** on April 25th, 2018, 2:02 am

It seemed, Clyde noted to himself, that Clyde had a knack for running into people multiple times at random. He was fairly certain he'd met the mercenary before, back on Sahova if he wasn't mistaken. He'd even, he somewhat recalled, worked with him before on/with some bit of magic. He was a magic user, though he didn't think of World Magic's nor one of the personal magics Clyde used. His mentioning of the use of The Flux stirred his mind, and made him recall such prior meetings and magics.

The other member of their party he didn't know, named Rook apparently, was also apparently a Kelvic. He was also collared, which seemed an odd thing to do in this setting since being able to change form could mean the difference between life and death in the wilds. It also made said Kelvic almost useless, as a being without access to their innate capability wasn't much of a being at all.

Once they were walking though Clyde's mind turned to other things, focusing on breathing ad keeping up. When Elias asked him a question he simply shrugged. Since it appeared Elias planned to go on talking anyways regardless of his reply it became apparent his shrug of a reply was sufficient. He had dealings enough with members of the Sun, though no more than anyone else he supposed.

It wasn't until he felt the prick of djed on the air, tracing it back to the aura he was casually examining at a low level- Vlad's- that his interest was peaked. While the user might have been skilled, he wasn't so skilled as to approach Clyde's level of aura mastery.

It took him a chime or so or feeling out each of the other aura's in turn before he realized who was actively using magic- Elias. With a few more chimes examining, along with awareness of the target and source aura he was able to reasonably figure out that Elias was reading Vlad's aura. Beyond being rude, it was also stupid to examine a higher up with unknown skills without permission or the subtlety to do so.

Even he himself, with his skill, wasn't probing deeply into the mans aura without permission in such a setting.

Clyde had tried to quietly slide back over to the soldier to give him a word, but didn't find a chance until Elias himself once more swept over to him.

Once Elias was done regaling Clyde with his opinions, Clyde gave him an annoyed glare and stated a few facts of his own.

“I've known a few soldiers to be good enough at getting themselves killed. Like, for instance, this one stupid soldier I knew. He decided to use magic, without permission from his commander, on a higher up. Doing so right in front of his commander, and many others, and in a style rather unsubtle. A higher up with unknown skills, backings, and magics of his own. Now wouldn't you say that was a rather stupid fellow? I think his commander staved in his skull and left him in a ditch, better than letting him blunder about and embarrass him further. Woudln't you agree?”

Clyde gave another glare, making it abundantly clear how he felt and his own thoughts on the matter, if his first words weren't clear enough.

He didn't have a problem with magic use, nor of his soldiers taking the initiative and doing things. But he did have a problem with a lack of subtlety, along with directly confronting a higher up with such a use of magic. In the middle of a mission no less!, Clyde thought to himself. Depending upon how Elias heard his words he might get that facet, his annoyance not at the magic but on how and when and on who it was done. Or he might not.

What came next from Vlad once they'd stopped was less of a question of tactics, and more of a question of agreement. That being said, Clyde still reviewed his thoughts and directions critically, doing some mental math so to speak if nothing else in the pairings. Seeing as he knew little of the routes or surroundings, he didn't have much to comment on that aspect.

Split up, then return to the beach to meet and discuss findings. Three routes, three groups.

Clyde and the mercenary for one. Magic plus physical combat/magic. A general covering of the bases.

Elias with his ranged magic, along with Eliza and her close combat/flux magic akin to the merc's. Plus the kelvic for scouting and such...

Dan as a guide, Bea for range weapons, and Vlad for magic and leading. As far as things went it wasn't a horrible mix, and he didn't have enough of a problem with any groupings to argue them.

“The groupings are fine, a good mixing of skills. As for the routes, I don't know enough of them to argue for or against.”

“That being said, if we are to split up, I think we should remove the collar of the kelvic. It'd kind of be useless to have him along without being able to change. Either he's going to help, in which case he needs to be able to shift, or else he's not and he's no more a liability by running away than he is by being unable to shift. And its my understanding on a kelvic, those things entire point is to stop shifting.”

Once that was settled one way or another Clyde would head off with his partner the merc for the South path. It was a bit of a backtrack to get their, only to lead deep into vegetation and obstructions.

It was a clear path of sorts, better than going directly into the wilds, but not much better. Too narrow to have been used by anything of size, if it in fact even was a trail and not just some oddity of nature, weather, or such things. Clyde didn't know enough of such things, tracking or trail-finding, to know the difference, but he could still ponder and try to figure it out.

Turning to his partner, Clyde stretched and held forward Cha like one might a burning sword.

“Well Bel... What have you got? I'll clear out what you can't, lets find a good way to get through eh? Doesn't look like a way around it, only thing to do is through. You get what you can, and tell me what you can't. And I'll get that, even if that means tearing up the ground.”

Of late he'd had practice, and was fairly certain he could do so, though on such a large stretch of land to cross with lots of bits of things, he didn't want to expend that much djed so early on their journey. Any tough bits Belugnir couldn't handle Clyde would do so with Reimancy. Placing Cha against the obstruction he would exude res, float it into the ground and the plants roots, and with a twist and motion unroot the thing. For smaller objects he'd simply loosen it enough to be easily torn up and tossed aside, for bigger things he'd simply use the mass of djed to pop up the object and toss it so to speak out of their way. When done with a task he'd either reabsorb the excess res, or turn it to the next obstacle that couldn't be hacked or broken through more mundanely.

He wouldn't be fast or in a hurry about it. Steady, methodical. Not slow, but in no rush, a steady slow extrusion and usage of djed while he kept calm and breathed into meditating to clear his mind.

by **Elias Caldera** on April 26th, 2018, 3:15 am

“Be careful now, it gets a bit muddy up ahead.”

“Elias…” Came a threatening growl from behind clenched teeth.

“Slow and steady, there you go. Wouldn’t want you to slip.”

“…Elias!” The menace in her voice rose tenfold, as did the sloppy, mud drenched clopping of her struggling steps. Frustration had begun to affect Eliza’s pace, it seemed, and for the life of him Elias couldn’t imagine why. He was only trying to be helpful… in his own way. To her credit, she’d done an admirable job of keeping her cool thus far, but it seemed now his fellow soldier in arms was reaching the zenith of her patience, and it showed with ever angry stomp through the mud and slashing sweep of her arms against the foliage marring her path. Unfortunately for Eliza, the mage had only just begun.

“You’re doing fantastic down there, soldier. Keep up the good work. We’ll have this bog scouted in no time.” Elias cheered on in solace as he gently drifted by just out of arms reach.

They’d come upon the path bequeathed to them so generously by Valdislov with little initial resistance, but by the time the tall grass had presented itself to the group, it was clear the ease of their journey had been but a cheap and dreadful rouse. As the most experienced and determined of the trio however, Eliza had carefully surveyed the situation, eyed every possible angle and approach, quickly deduced her best method of attack, fastened her boots, and marched forward into the soupy muck of mud with all the gusto and unwavering bravery of a proud Ravokian Stryfer. It was a sight to behold watching the veteran trudge her way through only god knew how much filthy bog water and sludge without so much as flinching. It was enough to bring a tear to the pale man’s eye… or perhaps that had been the smell. Regardless, despite his awe, Elias had failed to follow in Eliza’s disgusting footsteps with as much fervor as his peer, and so too had Rook once the swordsman had managed to halt the red headed slave’s step with a commanding hand barring his path. He’d given the boy the order to wait, followed by a sly, mischievous wink as he began to work his magic.

“Oooh, that looked like a particular vile puddle. I wouldn’t have stepped in that.” The reimancer cooed with a cringe as he sailed by once more atop his floating platform of rock. Hewn from the cliff face and molded to his design, Elias had fashioned himself a little dais upon which he now flew through the air upon, utterly unopposed by such petty mortal inconveniences like mud or gravity. Drenched in res and controlled via a simple mechanism attraction and repulsion, the idea for the rostrum of rock was something the sorcerer had been working on for a while now ever since witnessing flight first hand by a Druvin some time ago now. He’d failed in his own attempts to command the air to do the same seamless feat it had for Aemeli during Clyde’s part, but in his experimentation he’d found another, perhaps even better, method to which to he could both convenience himself on patrol and thoroughly inconvenience his squad mates at the same time.

“You’re watching a real expert at work here, slave. Just don’t get in her way now, she’s a woman on a mission.” Elias called out over his shoulder through the grin biting at his lips. Rook sailed by a moment later, the kelvic riding upon his own stone terrace identical to Elias’s.

Tethered to the reimancer’s soaring path via the same magic that manipulated his own ‘mount,’ Rook would have likely protested and balked at the idea of Elias’s proposal, had the idea been a proposal in the first place. No, the poor slave would have had no choice in the matter, and though the Caldera glided upon his earthwork with all the grace and dignity of a snickering hyena circling its prey, he was not so certain the wolf would share in the same comfort or calm, especially not after the sinister glare Eliza shot up at him once she realized he too was airborne and free of the torment she now endured alone.

“Elias!” The slush covered veteran screamed. “You motherless son of a-”

“Oh, I’m afraid duty calls, madam Eliza. I shall forge on ahead and scout the path while you continue your diligent work here. Though it pains me to leave your side, the work of a back up mage never ends, I’m afraid. Come along, slave.”

“Elias!” but the shouts and curses that followed soon faded into little more than memory as the two sailed off into the distance.

Ah, vengeance. Even when petty and pointless, there was nothing quite so sweet.

After a while, the ease in which they traversed the terrain had made short work of the horrors they would had to trudge through otherwise. Soon enough the duo came upon a natural bridge formed from the dead and decaying corpses of a few trees that spanned the length of what could only be described as a nightmare. Brackish, black water oozed and slimed beneath the crossing, and the sight of it alone nearly made the city boy woozy.

Elias had made sure to survey their surroundings with his auristics before abandoning Eliza. He was not a complete monster after all, and wasn’t as if he would have left the woman there had he not known for certain something wasn’t going to pop out of the bushes and eat her the moment he left. The aurist did the same here once more, ascertaining the details of his current location with a brief sweep of life before determining it was safe enough to lower both platforms back to dry, solid earth beneath… or at least the closest thing to it he could find nearby.

“Ah, behold Rook; the great outdoors...”

Stepping off the earthern throne he’d carved for himself, Elias made a show of looking about the swamp the two now found themselves in, placing both of his hands upon his hips and breathing deep of the foul and fetid air like a conquering hero stepping unto foreign shores.

He nearly gagged.

“I petching hate it.” He concluded with a resounding sigh. “Don’t concern yourself with Eliza back there. She’s a tough one, that lady. She’ll catch up eventually. Plus a joke or two between comrades is good for morale. By the time she reaches us, we’ll all be sharing a laugh about this, you’ll see.”

He turned to face the kelvic after a moment, studying the beast cloaked in the flesh of a man with an unconvincingly tepid smile. “But I’m glad you’re here, pup. I wouldn’t want to suffer this hell alone without someone I can trust watching my back.”

Now a word like ‘trust’ wasn’t exactly one the Ravokian threw around lightly, and truth be told, it wasn’t one he would have assigned to his relationship with the kelvic either. That said, he was partly telling the truth; Elias was glad the boy was here. “Now that we have a chance to speak in private, I need you to listen.” He went on, tone darkening into something serious and somber all of a sudden.

Though their enterprise into the wildness together a few weeks ago had suffered its fair share of setbacks and annoyances, Elias had come out the other end of the journey with something of a new-found respect for the deceptively demure slave, perhaps even something more. It was difficult to tell really, but among all those that had answered the call of the Black Sun to dare the lawless lands in pursuit of power and prestige, Rook was the only one the stryfer would have even dared consider worthy of his confidence. He suspected he was going to need that by the end of all this.

“This venture will end in bloodshed and ruin, I foresee it.” The tone of the conversation had gone from bleak to grim in an instant, by the look on Elias’s hardening countenance, it didn’t seem like it would be getting better anytime soon. “I do not trust the Symenestra that leads us, nor do I trust the sanctity of this ‘mission’ he has ensnared us in. Things will go badly as they always do, and when the time comes -and it will come- I need to know I can count on you. I need to know you’ll be at my side against whatever lies ahead.” The scarred swordsman took a domineering step forward, cold eyes burrowing into the upward gaze of the kelvic as he took the beast by it shoulders with both hands.

“I need you, pup. Are you with me?”

by **Rook** on April 26th, 2018, 5:58 pm

The delight at having his collar removed and the relief at being paired with Elias was dramatically eclipsed by the trauma of being suddenly airborne. As the chunk of rock rose underneath him and sailed into the sky, Rook howled in dismay and fell to his stomach, clinging to the piece of earth like a lifeline.

He was not a bird. He was distinctly not a bird. He preferred his two to four feet on the solid ground thank you very much. Eliza’s temper might have cooled slightly at the look of pure terror the kelvic gave her as his flying torture stone sailed merrily by.

Considering Rook’s considerable distraction, he did not pay much, or any, attention to whatever yelled conversation passed between the female stryfer and the snickering pale mage. Safe to say, the female stryfer seemed peeved in some way, and whatever forward frontal brain functions still remaining determined this to be grossly unfair considering her feet were still on the gods-damned ground. Rook would take mud over this any day.

After being airborne long enough for Rook to see his short life pass before his eyes a dozen times over, Rook’s aerial stone prison finally touched down on the delightfully solid terra firma. Rook rolled to his feet and bit back the sudden surge of nausea that swept over him.

Elias’ comment about Eliza prompted Rook to give the pale mage a look of utter disbelief. “Why should I worry about her?! She didn’t have to petching fly!”

Now that his feet were back on solid ground, Rook’s senses returned to him at a steady clip, and the wolf boy sniffed the air cautiously. Rook was not bothered by foul odors the same way humans were, so the stench of the bog drew the kelvic’s curiosity more than his disgust. He stared at the brackish black bubbling bridge behind them intently, nostrils flaring at the ugly festering scent. When his attention returned to Elias, he listened carefully as the mage spoke to him.

“I’ll die happy if you never do that rock trick again,” Rook said, taking a casual stab at making his words haughty. “But I’m relieved to have been paired with you too. I don’t trust those other stryfers not to use me and throw me away. Regardless of who my master is.” At Elias’ request to listen, Rook turned his entire intense attention on the mage’s words.

Rook’s expression darkened as Elias spoke. The kelvic had never had any dealings with the Black Sun, aside from the rare observation of their comings and goings to and from the outpost. He had no reason to trust them anymore than he did the stryfers, present company excluded, and if the stryfers disliked them then that was all the more reason to be cautious. Elias’ prediction set the small hairs on Rook’s neck on end. If he had been a wolf, his hackles would have rose. Rook was in a bad place. The kelvic knew that if push came to shove, his sacrifice would be greatly preferred to that of another more valuable soldier. What he needed was an ally, and Elias fit the bill. Rook would not have trusted anyone else.

“If you watch my back Elias, then I’ll watch yours, “ Rook replied. “My neck will be first on the chopping block once things go south. I’ll protect you if you protect me.”

Rook

by **Belugnir** on April 26th, 2018, 6:40 pm

Listening on to the conversation of the obvious pair in charge, Ein figured he might as well leave the burdens of his tent and the rations he brought here, as they would meet up again after a brief while of scouting. Certainly, he didn't care to haul the extra weight through narrow rocky passes only to jog back with it on his back and then keep going an extra route afterwards.

Having stashed his backpack and tent a few paces away from the path, Ein turned to the group again just as the question of the kelvic and his collar was brought up... some hogwash about this redhead lad being a shape-shifter? Regardless, having it be suggested, Einar saw little reason to oppose, for if the slave did end up running away or causing a ruckus, it'll be on their own and this commander fellow's head. Still, as he came over and took the lad by the collar to begin fiddling with the lock, the mercenary had a pair of words to spare.

''Make sure you don't cock anything up out there, will ye?'', the collar would have come off a moment afterwards, and Ein would go to drop it with the supplies and equipment he placed down for the time being, the key, however, he kept with himself.

The mercenary hadn't much to object to in regards to the groupings either, albeit he did briefly amuse a jest along the lines of 'course mine's the only group without a decent pair o' tits. Off he would go with the sorcerer who seemed reluctant to show much of a personality, unlike his scarred, pale colleague whose tone in a brisk statement gave one a solid idea that the bugger'd already went and gotten himself offended. None of my concern, anyway.

As they backtracked to their path, Ein came to remember where he knew the mage's name from. Clyde Sullins, aye, that one bugger with whom he'd done some business back on Sahova... one of few who didn't seem outright determined to turn him into a lab rat... still, he couldn't read a damn thing off this fellow, for as much as the man spoke, a wee bit unnerving, that.

''I don't rightly know if you should be tearin' up the ground, mate.'', Ein had just hewed into the first bush large enough to make the task of cutting through it easier than if one were to go around or try stepping over it. A pair of hatchet swings and felled frail branches later, and one could easily step over it in a half-arsed stride.

''Can't tell if a man's walked through these parts in hell knows how long. For all we know, there's all manner of nasty buggery creeping about this undergrowth, just waitin' for a pair o' hasty buggers to stir it up.'', tearing out shrubs around an established outpost was one thing, carelessly wrecking through terrain where monsters might lurk was a wholly different tale.

''I get we ought to be efficient, but I'd rather spend an extra breath for each pace we cover than end up bit in the arse by some foul-mooded snake.'', he grunted a chunk of his last remark, beating his hatchet into the thicker branch of one particularly prickly tree which hunched rather ominously as if it meant to intercept their path before they'd even arrived. After a couple more strikes he tossed the chopped branch to the side and moved on, hatchet in one hand, poleaxe in the other, feeling with the long weapon's lighter end a couple paces ahead whenever he couldn't properly see the ground amidst the bushes. One can't be too careful in the wild.

''Anyway. What do you figure we've been sent here to find?'', they'd have been in sight of the fork in the path as Ein decided to ask his question. Lopping through shrubbery was a dull passtime, stressing over every fourth step only made it duller, and if Clyde had listened at least an ounce to his advice, and let the mercenary struggle a bit through the more resilient shrubbery with his tools of iron and steel, they would have advanced at a reasonably slow pace, only adding to the dullness of the errand.

by **Prophet** on June 24th, 2018, 7:05 pm

The agent gave a bow of his head to the commander as he had no issues with the kelvic being able to take his true form- that of a beast. Even though Vladislov was regarded as a monster and an abomination, he held the same belief as the majority of Ravok that kelvics were tools more than anything else. The irony was not lost on the strange pale fellow and it was something that jerked at the corners of his mouth to which he acquiesced and displayed a toothless smile. “Then let us be off. If you find the way blocked, meet back here. Likewise, if you negotiate a path through the rocks, mark it then meet back here so that we may travel to the other side as a group.” The black and white eye bounced about from face to face then turned and started towards the path directly behind them.

Vlad had begun having his usual aches and pains already but now the splitting headaches and minor seizures were beginning to manifest. The going was slow but steady as Dan carved his way along the unfamiliar terrain with Bea leading the weaker Symmenestra about like an elder. Half a bell passed and then had come to the rock wall that divided them from their goal. Bea looked about and declared the whole thing a wash but Dan was not done. The scout decided he wanted to patrol north and south of their position for a way through. Since neither of his companions argued, Vlad sat down and watched the man disappear away from his companions and Bea began to fiddle with her equip.

The agent continued to shiver and shake, his hand scooped up a small rock and held it within the folds of his robes. A coughing fit erupted from his pale lips and Bea moved near to investigate, her hand holding a cloth over her face. “You going to make it?” She bent near him and examined his face. “You’re not going to give us all blood poisoning are you?

Vlad lifted his gaze but not his head as a chill shot through his body. He muttered something about being alright and hunkered down into his frame which gave off the impression that he was small and frail. He stayed like this for some time before he motioned for the woman to come closer. When she leaned in to see what was going on with the strange little freak, a clawed hand shot out like a crossbow bolt and caught her by the throat. Before she could scream, before she could draw her weapon, the long, lanky figure rose and lashed out with his other hand and raked his nails against her eyes. The pain was indescribable from the marked fiend but his ever tightening fist upon her windpipe prevented the scream which begged to sing. Vlad’s free hand drew a dagger from Bea’s own belt and stabbed her in the stomach. He twisted the blade several times as he drooled in bloodlust at the agony in her eyes. Just as her face turned purple, he released her throat and a gargled cry rose up above the landscape.

The other parties would not hear it but Dan likely would. Vlad had to hurry so he dug his fingers into the bruised skin of her neck once more and squeezed until the warm, thick blood coated his hands and eased his tremors. He waited next to the place where he had last seen the scout with a vile of his most lethal toxin - a slow working thing that numbs the senses, including speech, then slowly shuts down bodily functions. When Dan came bursting through the brush, eyes on his fallen comrade, he never saw the pale apparition lurking behind. The Symmenestra leapt forward and smashed the vile against the man’s face. The glass cut into skin and the toxin seeped into the blood as well as the eyes, nose and mouth of the Stryfer. The agent held onto the larger, stronger fellow for a few moments while the poison entered his blood stream. Vlad had done this enough to know when to let go and he simply stepped back and waited.

After several chimes, the vexed individual was at full strength and dragging a wounded Dan back to the rendezvous point. They were the first ones to arrive and this gave the Black Sun agent plenty of time to deal with his story and any mess that may arise. He tore flesh from his own body, Dan’s and made a horrible mess of Bea like some wild animal had attacked them all. Dan was slipping into the poison-induced coma but it would easily pass as a result of traumatic wounds and blood loss. Once the others finally joined up, Vlad would impart a great tale of heroics on behalf of Bea and Dan being certain to indulge his gratefulness to still be alive. He didn’t care if people gave him funny looks or distrusting glances, the mission didn’t change. He enlisted some help from the others to build a stretcher and offered to pull Dan along for the next leg of the journey. Once the other two groups reported in on their trails, it was decided to pursue the boggy route taken by Elias and company.

Elias’ exploits into uncharted territory in reimancy had taken a steep toll on the man. Plagued by violently loud whispers, physical fatigue and a nagging feeling of thirst, he would do well to mark his djed usage for the next day or so. Headaches would come and go and the occasional need to stop would certainly present itself but almost all of his overgiving effects were internal. Whether or not he could still wield his weapons and rapier-like wit would remain to be seen.

The party moved along and when they reached the bogs, it was plain to see why everyone started to groan. Something had to be decided about Dan. He grew less responsive as the trek continued and Vlad had grown to the point of pink cheeks and huge huffs of wind by dragging the body this far. He looked to the leader of the squad, Commander Sullins, and lifted his weary head. “Commander, “ the raspy voice slithered. “I don’t think we can take him with us any further. Could one of you mages find some way to protect him until we return?”

Once the issue of caring for a downed mate was handled, the long, arduous journey through the bog commenced. Vlad was dour about the task until he started to test the muck with heavy rocks. Nothing sank right away so he figured that his lighter form could simply run across. He took a few chimes to gather his strength then removed his roves revealing just pants and a harness with several knives and a few closed pouches which held poisons, antidotes and other small items. He balled up his official uniform and took his sandals off as well. The two-legged spider skittered across the bog with relative ease so long as he kept moving. Short steps that kept him light and quick worked the best but he would occasional make a long stride to divert his body towards a tree stump or rock for a break. When he finally reached the other side, he saw the opening in the rocks and knew he had to wait for the others. If what his scouts had reported was true, he would need their help to deal with what came next.

Players :

by **Clyde Sullins** on June 26th, 2018, 1:34 am

Clyde shrugged non-commitally at the mercenaries comment. “If I don't have to, I'd rather not. Don't know what we'll run into on this trip, so I'd rather not waste any djed I might need later. Anything that can be done mundanely would be better off being done that way. If it can be. But we've also got a time component to our mission.”

Turning to the merc and meeting his eyes, Clyde let a small smile cross his lips. “My personal view of magic is to get the most effect for the djed I spend. I don't believe in showy stuff, or being wasteful. But sometimes you just have to move a rock, and there isn't any other way.”

“But point taken, we are in strange terrain and if possible we should avoid stirring it as much as we can. As for what we are here for... I've no idea. Ask the strange fellow back there, I assume he knows. It wasn't deemed necessary for me to know for the mission. I assume we'll find out when we arrive, but I imagine its not nothing if we're going out here.”

This time Clyde did let a little bit of tone leech into his voice, a mix of annoyance and acceptance. Annoyance at not being told, and acceptance that he didn't know and couldn't immediately do anything about it.

Clyde would wait until they ran into an obstruction the mercenary couldn't hack through easily, before using his magic. It was a technique he'd practiced on several occasions before, most recently clearing land for the outpost and before that on another jaunt through the wilds. Extrusion of res, seeping it into the ground, securing it in place, and depending on the obstacle pushing or pulling or turning to loosen it and move it finally out of the way using a buck of the ground.

Much easier than other techniques he'd tried earlier before he'd further refined the process. The first time he'd tried it'd taken almost an bell to get one tree toppled as he worked out the kinks.

Nice, even, constant motions and actions. No rush. Practiced, like a seasoned farmer cutting wheat. Something born of skill and experience in the particular task. It didn't even take Clyde's full attention. Luckily for Clyde and his djed use, there weren't too many obstacles that couldn't be avoided or hacked through mundanely. Each time he'd rest in between, taking back in his res and focusing his breathing before the next task rather than one long usage of djed.

Once they'd gotten as far as they'd needed to they'd turn back, returning as agreed to their start. It was as they were approaching that he realized something was wrong.

Bea was dead. Dan was wounded and down, but alive. And the black sun man, while injured, seemed on his feet well enough. In fact... With Clyde's probing eyes examining the three along with his Aura sight via tripled tendrils of aura focus, taking in their aura or in Bea's case lack of a living aura... In fact, Vlad seemed a bit healthier than he had before. Odd, seeing as he'd been injured.After a bit Clyde retracted the other two tendrils, keeping the one on Vlad and continuing to slowly examine his aura for things while he was still in relative close range.

Rye stared at the non-human, the hound at Clyde's side for once making himself known to Clyde as he... Glared... He wasn't sure what, but he knew something was off. Clyde was decent enough at investigating secrets and mysteries to know that. What specifically was off he wasn't sure, but he if nothing else didn't trust the mans story of the events that had occurred.

He was lying about something, it was just a question of which bit or if all.

After Vlad regaled them with his story, Clyde pulled Eliza aside to get her report of their path. At a glance he saw that the woman was coated in mud on her lower half, whereas Elias and the kelvic were relatively untouched by the substance.

“What happened? Report.” With a wave of his hand Clyde gathered res to his palm, letting a first sized ball gather with a few moments of intense focus on the spot. Then slowly sweeping his hand filled with res across Eliza a few feet away from her body, Clyde willed dual attraction of water and earth. Like a sponge the mud and muck was pulled free, gathering into a wad around the res. By the time she'd finished her basic report, clearly cutting out some of the bits for succinctness and to not sound like she was complaining Clyde reasoned.

Eliza, tough, wasn't one to ask for help nor to throw someone under the cart. But with a few follow up questions he had a feeling he understood the story. By the time she was done reporting he'd de-mucked the woman for the most part, allowing her to move about relatively freely. Not as fresh as when she'd left, but clean for the most part.

With a twirl of his finger Clyde rotated the mass of muck around the ball a few times, and then once it was moving properly released all attraction, therefore letting the muck fly off into the wilds away from them. Reabsorbing the leftover res Clyde turned to see the rest of the group finishing up work on a stretcher for Dan.

Vlad had uncharacteristically offered to pull Dan, something else that Clyde slotted in with the other facts and suspicions and feelings. Off. Something was off. Lies. A chaon knew lies, expected them, but not from allies. Or seeming allies... But then, that was what made it a true betrayal wasn't it? It wasn't a betrayal if you were supposed to be enemies.

Pulling Elias aside but not bothering overly much to keep his voice down or hidden from the others, Clyde gave Elias a glare before beginning to speak to make it clear he was talking not Elias. Elias had likely never seen Clyde angry, he for the most part kept a calm demeanor, but now he let it show on his face.

“Don't talk, I don't care what actually happened. From what I understand, and its clear enough from whats been said -and I imagine she left half off it out which would likely have made you look much worse- you were being a great petching idiot and jerk. So be happy Eliza has some actual sense of decorum and teamwork, and doesn't go dropping a great load on her teammates head. ”

“After the talk I gave you before, I thought I was being clear. But then after that earlier, you go out and make yourself a double fool by floating around on giant rocks. So clearly I wasn't. And look at you, you look about ready to pass out! So let me be clear. If you so much as cast another spell, use another bit of djed, or otherwise do a bit of magic without my permission on this mission, or without an immediate and actual need such as you or someone on our team being about to die, I will kill you myself.”

“Magic isn't about who can do the most showy stuff. Its about getting stuff done. And on a mission, its more vital than ever to do so with as much efficiency as possible, without wasting djed you might need later. And here you are, us not even there, and already wiped out. You can do what you like on your own time, so long as it doesn't affect you when your on our time, but when your working I expect you to work and to be part of a petching team or else I will kill you myself for insubordination you petching baby man with the maturity of a toddler.”

Storming off Clyde would turn and pause, saying simply “And thats not a threat, that's a statement of a fact. Why didn't you just petching dry the ground, rather than lift a bunch of rock? Do you even think?”

By the time they got to the tricky part, the bog that Elias' group had forged through, Vlad was clearly tiring. Someone had done their best to bandage up Dan's wounds and stop him from bleeding out, but none of their party was a doctor nor trained in medicine. The result was a crude affair, but he supposed better than nothing.

Eying Vlad, Clyde shook his head. “We got in this mess because we split up in strange terrain, at your advice. I'm not going to do it again, split us up. We stay together. Strength in numbers. I've taken on threats before. We are better off together. We'll just need to find another way to carry him. Eliza?”

Clyde turned to the woman, gesturing at the man laid out on the ground. While she was smaller than Dan, she was strong and muscled, taking the time to properly train her muscles unlike many of the less physical members of their group. "Help me stand him up" she said simply. Clyde headed over, taking one side of the man while Eliza took the other, and between the two of them they got him standing.

While Dan wasn't in good shape, it didn't seem he'd be any worse off for being carried a bit less gingerly. Pulling the man over a shoulder Eliza hefted him into a simple but effective carry, looping an arm and leg around opposite sides of her head. Once she had him situated more or less across her back she pulled on arm diagonally across her chest with his legs behind his legs on the other side of her body, and looping one arm behind a leg grabbed his arm cross in front of her in a hold that secured him in place.

“We can take turns if we need to, to stop anyone from getting tired. But if we need to move fast, it seems like a good idea. Eliza can show you how to do it when its your turn.”

Turning to his own particular task, as the sole firmly standing Reimancer, he examined the ground. From a cursory examination it was simply ground. Wet ground, but still ground. If he dried it out, he'd be left with a relatively easy path to use. It wouldn't last, and would return to its earlier state soon after they crossed, but he supposed it'd last long enough for their needs.

Remembering a bit earlier when he'd pulled water and mud to dry out and de-muck Eliza, and years back on Mura when he'd dried out a Konti by specifically pulling the water off her body that had soaked her, it seemed a simple enough transition to pull the liquid out of the water to make firm ground, perhaps rearranging the dirt a bit to make for firmer standing or a slightly higher spot to walk on. All things he'd done before, if perhaps combined in a slightly different way.

Certainly easier than lifting up several tons of rocking and flying the group across, he thought to himself.

Testing it out Clyde opened a palm over the bit of the muck closest to the edge. Focusing he exuded a small puddle of res which he invaded and saturated the ground with. Then adding water pull, he moved the res upward with a motion of Cha, splitting it off in two opposite directions off the path they would take so as to make a... Path.

Successful on that small bit of ground, Clyde was confident he could do the same with the rest. Pulling in all of his focus and djed into the one task, Clyde took several deep breaths and centered himself before continuing. No distractions. Calm. Focused. Clyde next spoke in a dead even and calm voice.

“Everyone stay close, and stay to the center of the dry firm spot. It'll be concentrated on the straight line of the path. And if you find a deep spot or something, shout it out. I'll try to keep the dry spot a bit ahead and behind us, but it'll be easier if we press in close so I can focus where I'm working.”

With another breath he inhaled, and exhaled as he exuded res. Exhaled as he exuded himself. Losing himself in the task, in the djed, in his focus, in joining with the water and ground and muck to manipulate it like his own body through the task at hand. Bit by bit. Foot by foot.

----

OOC note: Sorry, not very good at describing such things verbally, its more of a visual thing. Carry commonly called a fireman's carry, if you'd like to get a visual/look it up and aren't familiar.

by **Zavya** on February 4th, 2019, 5:59 am

Grades!

Clyde

Skills Earned:

Intimidation +2

Meditation +1

Tactics +1

Lores:

Bea: Dead under mysterious circumstances

Belugnir: Old acquaintance from Sahova

Kelvics: Useless in the wilderness with the ability to change forms

Self: Doesn't care about ranks or names just getting the job done

Rook

Skills Earned:

Observation +3

Socialization +2

Lores:

Kelvic Bond: Hard to distinguish between his bondmate's emotions and his own

Lore of meeting a nonhuman/non-Kelvic for the first time

Samara: Jessica's superior

Self: Intrigued by Belugnir

Self: Not a fan of the airborne rocks Elias created

Comments: Rook's reaction to flying through the air had me in stitches. I wouldn't like it either!

Belugnir

Skills Earned:

Observation +2

Socialization +2

Lores:

Clyde: Old acquaintance from Sahova

Lore of using a hatchet to clear undergrowth in the wood

Self: Willing to share burdens with his horse

Comments: Poor Bel, getting put in the only group without a set of tits. ;P

Elias

Skills Earned:

Leadership +1

Reimancy +1

Socialization +2

Lores:

Black Sun: House of endless betrayals and bitter feuds even more cutthroat than the Ebonstryfe

Clyde: Not happy about his use of magic

Reimancy: Creating airborne "mounts" out of stone

Self: Hates the wilderness

Vlad: Symenestra

Comments: Back up mage. Nuff said.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to PM me!

Quest One Step Away [Ugnir,Rook,Clyde,Elias,Sevris]